Coercion
by L.Pilz
Summary: When put in trying conditions, will they be able to adapt? Or will they give in to coercion? Kisame and Sakura. Rated M for language, violence, sexuality.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I don't own or make money off of Naruto.

**A/N**: This story is my first _ever_, so any obvious mistakes or weirdness is likely due to that fact. Regardless, any reviews are welcome and much appreciated. The eventual pairing here is indeed Kisame x Sakura, with a sprinkling of Sasuke x Sakura, so move on if any of that offends you. Mature rating because of language, violence and eventual sexual stuff, so keep that in mind too.

Italicized phrases in _'single quotations'_ are mental thoughts. Phrases in "regular quotations" are voiced.

Enjoy!

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Consciousness kicked in an hour before enough energy could be summoned for the task of willing her eyelids to open. This time was vaguely used to gauge the situation she was in. This feeling - it was so, well, _alien_. She felt as if her mind was in someone else's body - her limbs, muscles, nerves unable to cooperate. It was an alarming state to be in for someone so extensively trained in her field, and as immediately as her sluggish mind could allow, her medical side began assessing the state of immobility which her body was currently in.

_'Okay Sakura, focus...focus.'_

Instinct and conditioned training in medical jutsu required for chakra to be spread like a meshy web as a kind of body scan in which to assess what was wrong. This, she soon found out, was problem number one. Her chakra, it seemed, was inert.

Panic.

Not being able to even faintly crack open an eyelid was bad enough for someone without such convenient bloodline traits like the Byakugan - but now Sakura was rendered _completely_ blind without her ability to use her chakra as a form of insight.

She would have screamed, but apparently that part of her wasn't working either. After a few moments of trying to calm herself with optimistic mantras, she decided to assess which other parts of her person were handicapped.

_'Focus.'_

Okay, that was _good_; if she had the ability to talk to her mental self, it meant that she was still alive with her cognitive centers intact. Paralyzed but alive nonetheless.

_'Great. Okay, next.' _

Senses. In paralysis victims, we check the senses. Sight clearly was not an option. Touch - also unable to process. Alarmingly, even temperature was impossible to feel.

Sound.

Sakura, with the renewed optimism of some sort of goal to strive towards, bade her ears to _please function_, and willed her tumultuous mind to shut up for once.

_'There_.'

She hadn't noticed before but there was the distinct drone of some sort of machinery, perhaps a fan or radiator working a small distance away. Unless, of course, it was her mind making this noise. Not willing to give into defeat and delusion just yet, she listened further. Anything, _anything_ to help her get some sort of idea where she was and how she came into such a vulnerable position - or at least as an indicator of her existence.

Then a soft puff of breath came from somewhere nearby. She wouldn't have noticed it unless her mind wasn't so desperately searching for sonar evidence of life, but it was unmistakeably real and not the result of a delusional mind. Intent to cement its existence in this void she currently inhabited, Sakura listened with renewed purpose.

After what seemed like an eternity or perhaps two minutes, Sakura got her confirmation: she was _not_ alone. The sound was very small - strained - like the individual's lungs were overinflated with air but could only release a millisecond of breath before holding it again. She listened to this sound for a while longer trying to conclude what this thing was which she was trapped with. Before she was able to deduct anything from her observations, she was interrupted.

The pinpointed, strained listening of Sakura's ears almost knocked her unconscious again after a loud, agonizingly metallic moan came from somewhere off to her right. After her hearing became somewhat functional again, she noticed a very minute, yet very real lightening of the black behind her eyelids.

'_Good, my eyes are still here.'_

Mentally stiffening at the unknown reality she was about to succumb to, Sakura prepared for the worst.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Steps. Steps on... concrete? They were long, purposeful and calculated, coming closer to where she was situated. Depending on her hearing as her only crutch, Sakura guessed that the strides came from a male. Perhaps a large male. A large male who knew what he was about to do. Suddenly she was wishing she hadn't taught her ears to be so acute in this short time, because the agonizing tap of shoes on concrete was causing her to want to crawl out of her skin from the anxiety. Maybe she should've stuck with the 'ignorance is bliss' state of mind.

The steps came to a stop right in front of her, and moments later there was an odd shift, then a tiny tingling feeling at the base of her neck. The tingle went from a very slight, almost-numb tap, to an agonizing spread of millions of needles outwards from that one tiny point of origin. It felt like being an icicle thrown into a hot spring - a hot spring full of _senbon_. If she could see, Sakura felt like her skin would look like it was bubbling - the threads of muscles underneath trying to jump out individually towards their own freedom. After some minutes passed, and the feeling went to where she assumed her toes were, Sakura's body mentally slumped and she felt like she possessed a material form for once in her ordeal. Material, but _aching _- aching, and so damn sore.

She just wanted to curl up in a bed and let sleep wash over her and never awaken.

Unfortunately, consciousness refused to go away and she was left dealing with the aftermath of her miserable ache. At this point she didn't want to register anything anymore and tried instead to keep her mind blank to will this horrible ache away. But sadly, select body parts chose this inopportune time to make their individual troubles known to her. Her lips felt like sandpaper. Her throat was so dry that she hoped to vomit just to get some form of lubrication there to take the tight, itching feeling away. Her hair clung grotesquely to her scalp like dead leeches and she could literally feel the grime under her nails, behind her ears, all over.

Realization hit her - she had been here for at least a few days judging by the level of dehydration so far. And whoever kept her here didn't care a whole lot about her hygiene and hydration apparently. If her body wasn't still so pathetically numb feeling, she would have felt anger - maybe embarrassment - at her current state of neglect.

Then someone spoke.

"You will need to be washed."

It was a small voice - not the commanding boom she was expecting. Either way Sakura's heavy eyelids opened halfway as she tried to understand from within her hazy thoughts what had just been uttered. Her useless throat felt like it wasn't even wide enough to fit a pencil through, convulsing vainly like a fat grub at the need to produce sound. Realizing that her eyes were also crusty from misuse, she closed them firmly and let fate take over.

The man - she noticed in the brief few seconds she had opened her eyes - was also not as large as she thought. He was rather regular looking and wore a black shirt and dull black pants. Sakura was busy sifting through her mental database of people he might resemble so she could figure out just what the hell was happening, and who, and where, and _what_ but then there was a hand on her forehead effectively silencing her tumultuous mind.

Goose bumps erupted on her skin at the cold touch and once again her whole body threatened to collapse. Why hadn't she fallen down yet anyway? Still not wanting to open her eyes and witness whatever was happening, she let herself try to feel.

_'Ah.'_

She had been restrained.

'_No wonder.' _

Despite the sickening feeling of being half-numb, Sakura felt the metal clasped around her small wrists fastened somewhere above her head on either side. She also thanked whichever deities were out there that she was still fully clothed - from what she could feel - filthy or not. Then remembering her current state, her vulnerability made itself known to her again and feebly she attempted to bring her arms together, resulting in the still-present man in front of her to speak again.

"Do not struggle. I will return shortly."

With that, he left the room. Sakura took this opportunity to release the breath she didn't realize she held. After silence reinstated itself in the room she reopened her eyes to look at her surroundings. She was in a prison, by the looks of things. It was a medium sized room, concrete lining all the sides. Sakura had expected the place to be dirty or damp due to faulty plumbing, but it was surprisingly clean and clinical looking from what she could see in the dim light. The ceiling hung lower than most rooms she'd been in, and there were no windows, lending a claustrophobic feel to the place. And to her right was the metal door which was the source of her eardrum's misery earlier.

As her eyes continued to scan the room for minute details which may or may not be of importance, she gasped when they landed on a figure - a figure in the same position as herself, arms shackled to the wall behind him. So, that faint breath she heard was not just a figment of her imagination.

She was not alone.


	2. Chapter 2

He was situated directly opposite Sakura in a corner, chest very subtly rising and falling every once in a while. His head hung low so she couldn't quite make out specific features, but from his build, he was quite obviously a very large man. Blinking the blurry haze from behind her eyelids, she squinted to get a better look at the figure in the poor light.

The pants he wore were dark and ripped, particularly at the knees where they rested against the cold ground. He had no shirt on, and his hair appeared short. After a minute Sakura felt a faint recognition dawn upon her upon seeing the color of his skin - a pale, grayish-blue which was consequently mottled with darker spots. Bruises, Sakura guessed.

_'He must've put up a fight,'_ she thought absently.

After another round of shuffling through her mind-database, Sakura realized he was the Akatsuki member who resembled a shark. She felt a dark feeling arise in her chest, and plucked the milk-white fog of her brain for a name, but it escaped her.

There was way too much going on to sift through her mind, and she felt physically and mentally exhausted - so much so that fear hadn't even begun to manifest itself fully at her situation. Any other sane person would have been in a complete state of panic. Trauma, even. Sakura thought perhaps she was not sane any more. She quickly banished that thought and began asking herself some questions.

_'How?'_

How had this whole ordeal even come to pass? She searched her memory, backtracking.

She had been on a mission.

_'...with Naruto? Sai? Kakashi-sensei?'_

No, no, it had been a solo mission - relatively simple too. The details were a bit hazy, but Sakura remembered vague sections. She was required to retrieve something.

_'A document?'_

Visions of trees flitting by on all sides, branches under her feet barely making contact from the speed she went at.

_'Was I running from something... someone?'_

A dull throb had begun to form behind her temple. Apparently such elementary inquiries were too much for her to handle at this point. She didn't have a chance to press on further anyway, since the man from before chose this time to return - water bucket and cloth in hand as he strode back towards her.

_'Oh. Oh,_ _no, no, nononono__.'_

He intended to wash her. A very real fear started to crawl from the base of her spine upwards. The paralysis which incapacitated her before must have been drug induced or something, because now she was coming out of the somewhat apathetic haze of before, and he suddenly wanted it back. Sakura hated this complete lack of control she was currently experiencing. She was trapped in an unknown place, with no idea of how she got there, and _why_, and worse, now some freak she didn't know was about to strip her, and touch her, and god knows what else. And now those past guys she refused to have intimate contact with crept back into Sakura's mind laughing at her ordeal, and she knew it was completely irrational in light of the more serious problems she was having, but _still_ she cared about who saw her naked, and if she just had some freaking _chakra_-

Her thought-process was interrupted when the unknown man set down the bucket, water sloshing in the process as Sakura stared at the hypnotic motions of the liquid.

She was so utterly helpless. She tried to cry to have some sort of control - at least over her own body. It was useless though, and Sakura deemed that there was no fluid left in her to even shed a single stupid tear. She then resorted to making a noise of protest, but as soon as her voice box contracted to make the most primally simple of squeaks, she regretted the action since it caused her throat to feel like it had torn in two.

_'Pathetic, Sakura.'_

The man rose to meet her head-on and Sakura screwed her eyes shut so hard, white dots danced behind the blackness of her eyelids as she waited. Then there was a metal clink, a shuffle of fabric, and then another clinking of metal against metal, _and then_-

The heavy weight around her wrists suddenly fell away as the shackles were unlocked. Sakura's heart sped up.

"As you may be aware, your chakra has been suppressed. You cannot use it. Escape is impossible, and you will cooperate."

With those carefully worded sentences, he unlocked the last shackles binding her feet -a detail she hadn't even noticed previously - and left.

_'Cooperate? With what?'_

Unanswered questions still loomed over her mind, and Sakura slid down the wall, her shirt riding up and scraping her tender back flesh raw in the process. She inhaled sharply and rubbed her sore arms as the blood rushed into them, causing another wave of pins and needles to erupt. As she glanced at the rough, raw skin around her wrists, her immediate response was willing her chakra to smooth over them, but with a twitch of her hand, she remembered it was useless.

Not wanting to think of the possible permanence of her state, Sakura dragged the bucket of water towards her as her most imminent needs called out to her. Water. Licking her chapped sandpaper lips, Sakura gazed into the liquid, trying to sniff it to see if it was poisoned or something, but in the end it was impossible to tell. It was still dark in the room making the water appear almost black, but the girl knew in order to survive she would have to drink it. She took a sip of the liquid expecting the worst, but then found that it was in fact actual water. It was warm and tasted stale and earthy - like it was taken from some old cave - but otherwise fine.

As soon as the small trickle of liquid went down her throat she felt an immense thirst overcome her. Cupping her hands, Sakura dipped them into the pail and drank greedily, exhaling rather loudly after each gulp. The prior feeling of numb, aching muscles was rapidly diminishing now and her mind was thinking clearer as hydration returned to her system. Feeling physically more renewed she began to hope a little. Hope, that _somehow_ she was going to find a way to escape this confinement and go back home to her life.

After sufficiently downing half the bucket, Sakura wiped her face with her forearm and leaned back against the wall behind her. That's when her gaze snapped to the figure across the room, and she was promptly reminded of her cell-mate. As unconscious as he looked over there, she couldn't help but feel apprehensive of his presence.

_'Is that really the guy? __The half-shark swordsman who fought Gai-sensei and his team?_ _K... K-something.'_

Sakura half-remembered Tenten telling her about the fight when he trapped everybody in some water jutsu which forced them to drown slowly while watching their teammates go through the same ordeal. Then she remembered Naruto telling her of his run-in with the ninja; how he had a sword which shaved skin, and how he intended to amputate Naruto's legs. Sakura shuddered and hugged herself, shifting in her spot uncomfortably. Clearly this was a sadistic person. Well, he _was_ a member of Akatsuki after all. Composed of the _finest_, _strongest,_ mentally unstable sociopaths with a lust for blood and personal vendettas.

Logically thinking, there was nothing to fear - from his current state anyway. Sakura was clearly the one with the upper hand in the situation. He was covered in bruises, barely breathing and seemingly unconscious. She, on the other hand, was now unshackled and free to get up and roam if she so wished. These sobering doses of reality caused her grimy skin to make itself known to her. She became itchy.

Un-hugging herself, Sakura decided to begin with the exposed parts, taking the cloth on the edge of the bucket and drenching it with water to wash her face. The water was so stagnant she wasn't sure whether she would improve her hygiene at all by washing herself with it, but she continued to anyway.

After she had gotten her face relatively refreshed, Sakura began to let her mind wander again to recollect the events which occurred prior to her being imprisoned.

_'The mission. Right.' _

She retraced steps and events. Some things kept recurring in her mind - like the branches whizzing by below her. She had been on her way to the village in which the thief resided.

He was a moderately wealthy merchant who stole some important document which Sakura had been ordered to retrieve at the commissioner's behest. And why her? With grim realization, she realized this was all her fault when she began pestering Tsunade about wanting to go on a field mission in order to stretch her legs and dust off her kunai. Sakura sighed, remembering how sick of the hospital she had gotten - how much she yearned for a change of scenery. And, well, this certainly _was_ a change of scenery, that was for sure.

Quashing any more self-pity, Sakura continued assessing the past events.

The mission itself had been a C-ranked one - a cakewalk for an advanced jounin like herself - and the only thing that she truly couldn't get a grasp on was whether or not she had in fact retrieved the document before she was abducted. If she did take the document and was consequently kidnapped afterwards, it could mean that the stupid thing was actually really _important_ for it to have caused the incarceration of a member of Akatsuki and herself - the Godaime's own apprentice.

_'It better have been _really_ fucking important. And there better be a horde of Konoha's most elite looking for me right now as I speak. To myself.'_

Sakura let the wishful thoughts wash over and envelop her in a warm embrace. She would not allow herself any more cynicism until she found out exactly what was going on. Long lost were the days of Sakura's whining, crying and being in the way. It shamed her to think of herself as such a snivelling weakling, but after she began training under Tsunade, she became very well respected both by Konoha and also Suna for saving Kankuro, then later helping kill Akatsuki's own puppet master Sasori. That was three years ago, and in that time she had improved even further as a skilled kunoichi. Working at the hospital, she was at the helm of command along with Shizune, and her hand-to-hand skills weren't half-bad either. A surge of confidence struck her at the admission. She would get out of this.

As she pondered some more, absent-mindedly streaking the water-laden cloth against her arms, Sakura noticed a slight shift in the shadow ahead of her. The chains jingled softly as the man slightly lifted his head, a sheen of sweat covering his face like a veil. At that moment, Sakura noticed he looked really ill, and she had to suppress the instinct to go over there and examine him. Upon raising his head further, the girl confirmed his identity - it was unmistakeably the half-shark man from Akatsuki.

The menacing image in her mind though was not matching up with the image before her because he looked utterly defeated. His eyes were darkened, half-lidded and embedded within dark circles which looked to be the result of stress and insomnia - amongst other things. With fresh eyes she studied his strange face. He had gills on either side of his cheek bones and she squinted hard to see if they moved when he breathed. Deducting that they didn't, she came to the theory that they were probably more useful underwater. His hair was a dark blue, and raised up much like a shark's fin would be, and he wasn't wearing a headband of any sort. His skin though, was so _unique_. She just wanted to look closer at it, compare it to her own. What would it feel like? Did he have hair on his arms like regular people? Her curiosity was completely scientifically-based, of course. After all, it wasn't like she ever had the chance to examine someone like him - anyone would be curious, medic or not. His chest was bare and very well sculpted, but the man's upper body folded over like he had just taken a really hard punch to the gut. With his arms up above his head he looked like he was indeed very uncomfortable. He was breathing a little heavier now, and there was a slight raspiness to his exhales and inhales which Sakura couldn't ignore. She imagined the sound of a patient's lungs when they had bronchitis. No it wasn't that. He wasn't coughing, he sounded more... choked.

_'Hm. Suits him for being such a sadistic ass. Karma's a bitch,'_ she silently thought while looking at him with apprehending eyes.

Still - the medic in her itched to help. To console. To... _something_.

"What's your name?"

Okay never mind, _not_ the medic. It was the insane part of her talking- was she really going crazy? Making casual conversation with an Akatsuki? She had to cough after speaking - her voice bringing with it mucus from the back of her idle throat.

He was looking down now, back at the ground as if the cure for his ailment resided there, still breathing laboriously. Silence stretched and she counted his breaths with mounting anxiety.

"Who wants to know?"

The breathing hitched and he coughed, then looked up at her and grinned weakly. His intent to look menacing was not lost on the girl. As weak as he was in his current state, one look at his gleaming pointy teeth coupled with that raspy, grating baritone and Sakura physically shuddered. She now fully regretted starting a conversation with this man, but unfortunately she made her presence known to him and acknowledged his, thus making their situation more personal.

Sakura's mouth betrayed her as her mind told her to keep to herself.

"You're one of the Akatsuki aren't you?"

He closed his eyes, the lids a pitch black color, and Sakura thought he looked like a lost boy from what little she could make out in the crappy light. He was just so _vulnerable_-looking and she seriously doubted that a man from Akatsuki would ever be caught in such a state. He must have been some close relative or something.

"No," he answered after a while.

Sakura loosened the death grip on the washcloth she held.

"...not anymore," came the slurred murmur from across the room.

_'Oh no,'_ Sakura thought, her muscles tensing again.

She didn't quite know what his cryptic response implied, but he still managed to firmly confirm her suspicions on who he was. Nothing was spoken between the two for another hour, but Sakura's anxiety mounted by the minute. Aside from the fact that she was trapped here with _him_, her mind raced between two dominant trains of thought: Where was their captor? What are we being held for? During her inner dialogue she kept her eyes trained on the awkwardly positioned figure ahead of her.

She had also used the time to scrub some grime off of herself as much as she could - albeit under her clothes since now would be especially inopportune to strip herself bare. Not to mention she didn't know who else was watching from secret places and the room was now decidedly cold.

For the next half hour, Sakura decided to get up and stretch her remaining soreness away. After all, if she was going to plan escape, she had to be in a fit enough condition to do so. Before she had completed her set of basic exercises, the metal door opened and she plopped down on the floor next to the wall in surprise, waiting for the man who had brought her the water bucket.

To Sakura's shock, it was someone else who walked in.

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**A/N**: In this story, Sakura is 18 and Kisame is 29. Yes, I messed with the age difference.


	3. Chapter 3

Kabuto.

Sakura's mind slowed as a very real terror took her. Suddenly the context of her entrapment gained a serious undertone of darkness she didn't think was possible.

'_No, no, no! Not Orochimaru's henchman!_'

She had been witness to the presumed love of her life being destroyed by this man's master. If it hadn't been for the snake Sannin, team seven would have remained intact like it once was. She had stayed up countless nights mourning the loss of her teammate and once-crush Sasuke. She had replayed thousands of variations of a fantasy in her head of a team unbroken; she devised little scenarios, made-up conversations that would never come to pass. Sometimes she thought she had truly become delusional, but the fact was that it stopped the tears, these sad little fantasies.

And all that work. All that hard, laborious work to get Sasuke off her mind - to forget that he didn't care and just left - all that work was now made pointless, and it manifested itself as a face. A face with slanted black eyes behind glass lenses, his sclera so white she felt blinded. They peered at her with triumph. He was revelling in her recognition and she could almost hear his thoughts behind that gray head of hair.

_'You will suffer the same fate. Become a vessel of vengeance and hatred just like him.' _

Share the same fate.

Oh the irony.

He strutted towards her unflinchingly, a cocky smirk plastered on his face.

"Ah, Haruno Sakura."

She dared not speak. Her green orbs were still wide with shock, and she looked off to the side avoiding his gaze.

"It's unfortunate to have to make your acquaintance in this way, but really, it was necessary."

She would have said something but her voice was lost.

"Since Orochimaru-sama's demise, I have taken on the part of successor to my master's craft. Unfortunately, there are some things in my vast knowledge of medicinal jutsu which I am incapable of. Your _Godaime_... she has a very unique skill, one which has been passed on to her apprentice, I'm sure. Since capturing Tsunade-sama would have been considerably more difficult, I had to take second best."

He had taken this opportunity to smirk at her as Sakura's mind searched for the answer of what he was implying.

Sakura had been knowledgeable in a vast amount of medical jutsu - a handful of which would be considered a forbidden art - but she wasn't sure which jutsu she could have which someone like himself wouldn't know. After all, she always thought of Kabuto as superior knowledge-wise. He had been Orochimaru's second in command anyway - a man whose goal was amassing all the ninjutsu known to him. In any other circumstance Sakura would have been flattered.

Kabuto searched her face for the comprehension he thought would have dawned on her by now, but he didn't find it. With an impatient sigh, he crossed his arms over his chest and continued, quickly glancing over to the slouching body of a man across the room.

"You are going to aid me in a procedure concerning Kisame-san."

_'Kisame. That was the name.'_

"I refuse," Sakura countered without thought.

"Predictable. But I had already planned on that."

With that, he made a motion towards that ghastly door which was agape like the mouth of some beast. Out came the man with the anonymous face, holding a leash which connected to... a very meaty neck. The neck was attached to a hideously deformed body - one which was staggering into the room causing the hard floors to vibrate slightly due to his massive size. Sakura froze in horror, unable to look away. This was most likely one of Kabuto's or Orochimaru's experiments. If this... creature was once a man, it was no longer discernible from his outward appearance. The surface of its skin was a myriad of lumps, wrinkles and open sores, and some of his fingers were missing - some enlarged, clawed. His face was more like that of a skinned animal - no lips, eyes bulging out of sockets, nose nearly shaved off. Sakura shuddered. She didn't want to wait for Kabuto to explain exactly what her defiance would have to do with this creature.

"And once I finish helping you with whatever it is you want, you will just let me go?" she asked, her voice slightly high-pitched.

That smirk again.

"Precisely, Sakura-san."

She felt the rising heat of anger swell within her.

"Well, Kabuto-_san_, I don't believe you."

She took a second to glance over to the subject in question, feeling like it was unfair to talk about him so... objectively in his presence. Kisame made no visible movements though, and Sakura couldn't tell if he was listening at all.

"In that case, you leave me no choice in the matter. I will have to lock you up with Hatsu-san over here," Kabuto said, snapping her attention back to him.

One bony finger pointed to the creature, and Sakura looked nervously at the monstrosity. Its eyes were glazed over and locked on the spot on her arm she was absently rubbing. She got the distinct impression that it was hungry.

"Okay... Okay! Damn you."

This sort of thing went _far_ beyond Sakura's moral code, but she complied with the enemy solely on the basis that this was buying her some time. Surely, that group of Konoha's valiant ninjas were already on their way to her, ready to whisk her back to the safety of her home - to the comfort of the monotonous every day routine she had established for herself.

To the nights when she dreamed of charcoal hair and scarlet eyes.

Smiling that cocky smile, Kabuto loomed over her once again in triumph. She felt so small then, so trapped and helpless. For the briefest moment, her eyes flickered past Kabuto's leg to the man across the room and she wondered how he felt.

.-.-.-.

After her forced cooperation, Sakura had at least assumed that she would be granted more comfortable accommodations. Quickly though, she learned that Kabuto wasn't the hospitable type. She mentally snorted at herself. Before he left, the servant brought two aluminum dishes of rice and set them on the floor in the center of the room muttering something about dinner. Needless to say, Sakura didn't feel hungry.

She was going to be imprisoned here, he had told her, until he was ready to proceed with the "experimentation". She was happy that at least he left out any details of what exactly this experimental procedure entailed, because it would most likely plague the shark-man's mind - in turn making their already tense arrangement even more awkward.

Trying to stop the various graphic mental images of vivisection and the like from playing in her head, Sakura tried to occupy herself. At least Kabuto had the humanity to leave her unshackled. Even though there wasn't a whole lot of square-footage for her to explore, she was grateful for the absence of cold, rough metal from her bruised wrists.

And speaking of bruised... Sakura let her gaze settle on her unfortunate cell-mate.

'_Kisame.' _

Sakura had then decided that she would refrain from saying his name. Each time it was repeated involuntarily in her mind, she felt a small pang of... something. Guilt? Shame? Fear? Whatever it was, attaching names to those who one was _potentially_ going to use as a specimen in a likely-to-be-sick experiment didn't sit well with her. Whatever sadistic thing she would perhaps be forced to do to this man, Sakura at least wanted to detach herself from personal connection completely.

She had filleted many fish in her life. This would be no different.

Of course, these were only hypothetical thoughts. Her personal rescue team was about to bust down the doors of this horror-house in gallant fashion any minute now. Promptly, Sakura removed her saliva-coated finger from her mouth and inspected the ragged edges of her nails.

_'Gross. I never bite my nails.'_

In a gesture to refrain from her current activity, she dug both her hands underneath her legs and lifted her head to look vacantly at the ceiling.

_'I wonder what Naruto is doing.'_

She closed her eyes and smiled a ghost smile.

_'I wonder if Sai-'_

"Kill me."

The sound was so sudden and loud - echoing in the concrete room - that Sakura's eyes immediately darted towards the door. Suddenly realizing the source, she looked over towards the dark figure. His voice hadn't been loud _at all_, she realized. In fact, as it reverberated in her ears in the seconds that passed, a great knot formed itself in the pit of her stomach. The quiet words haunted her as Sakura's mouth hung slightly open and eyes frantically searched his hidden face.

"Kill me, kunoichi," he repeated.

Then he lifted his head and stared her straight in the eyes, and once again she was trapped. His eyes were so otherworldly, so intense, so full of... Sakura looked away instantly, her soul feeling like it was being pierced. She could feel the heavy emotions behind his loaded words, like his desperation hung on the cusp of anger. There was a lingering of pain, most likely from the illness he was experiencing which had caused his rough breathing. She then noticed that he had been suppressing his coughs ever since Kabuto had contaminated the room with his presence.

"I'm no good at begging..." he began, then coughed as the unvoiced words were hacked out of him, lost forever.

Despite the morbid nature of his request, he still managed to lace it with a touch of humor; it was the saddest humor she had ever heard. As she looked at that horribly grinning face - the man on his knees talking lightly of begging, the blood trailing from his lips - Sakura's wishful thinking of rescue and salvation died right then and there. Reality hit her in the face harder than she imagined possible and her mind was in shambles. Memories. Experiences of times past reared their ugly heads from the swirling porridge of her brain. Thoughts of desperate ninjas laying on hospital beds - begging for their lives to be ended upon seeing their missing limbs, their mutilated bodies, their violated comrades. Pleading eyes. Sclera. Bloody sclera. She tried so, _so_ immensely hard to sweep these memories under the figurative rugs in her mind. Now those pathetic faces all fused together as one and presented themselves as the face of one horribly beaten shark-man.

Sakura placed her head in her hands and let out a wobbly sound from the depths of her soul. Twice today the carefully sewed patches of her mind unravelled to show the ugly, ugly things underneath - the ugly things that made her turn back into that ridiculous smudge of a girl who could never compete. The ones that made her remember all the sick, immoral things she'd witnessed. The bloody, spinning eyes of Sasuke which kill- kill bodies, kill hearts, kill brains. Naruto's burned flesh after succumbing to the kyuubi. The sickening smell.

She smelled it now, and it engulfed her. She was choking on the smoke and needed to breathe. Sakura lifted her head from her trembling hands and noticed the disappointing lack of moisture there.

And he was patient. Such was a man who had no further reason to exist.

In realization, Sakura mustered every fibre of her being into locking up the Pandora's box of her brain and in an instant, the smell permeating her nose was once again the dank metallic of the rectangle she was in.

Suddenly she was angry; angry that this _creature_ of a man had caused such momentary weakness in her. Angry that he was not being menacing, threatening, sadistic. He had acted so pathetically human that she felt like he too was making a mockery of her.

"No wonder you said you weren't part of Akatsuki anymore," she spat.

How dare he do this to her?

He looked up from his post, fists slightly clenching in the process. His eyes were slightly narrowed, aimed directly at her, then they softened a bit before his entire expression was once again set in his usual scowl. He looked like he was lost in thought and Sakura was fidgeting, becoming increasingly agitated at the man's strange behavior.

He was quietly contemplating. Then he closed his eyes and his face softened - a small smile gracing his inhuman lips.

Sakura nearly whimpered at the sight - so defeated, so gone. There were some expressions which should never be allowed on certain individuals, and the one this monster of a man had just made was the epitome. She wanted to stomp over there and beat his face down into a pulp. What color of blood would stain her already filthy clothes? Would it be warm or cold?

Her feet moved without instruction from her motor homunculus.

He kept his gaze averted downwards as Sakura walked over towards him, but he was no longer smiling that horrible smile. The size of his body was even larger up close, and the girl hesitated making the final step towards him, but eventually did so. Oddly enough, the first thing she noticed was his smell. He smelled stale, but different from the stale permeating through the room. He smelled of old wood, of sweat, musk, salt.

She gazed upon him frowning as she searched for the creature who would mutilate an innocent young child, but found herself strangely disappointed.


	4. Chapter 4

Sakura stood at the far corner of the dark room, in front of a beast who once tried to kidnap and consequently kill her best friend.

Except he was not _truly_ a beast.

And he did not succeed in killing her best friend.

She scolded her traitorous brain.

"I am not like you and your stupid organization. I don't kill on command," she said, a slight tremble to her tone.

He became angry, looking up at her directly again. She thought it odd that someone so incapacitated could still manage to look like he could snap her in half. Then he gave a sharp laugh which turned into a cough.

"We share the same profession, kunoichi. Killing on command is the job description."

Quickly cutting him off, she scrambled to reclaim her nobility, "I save lives."

_'We're not the same. Stop looking at me like that.'_

Sakura averted her gaze from his but remained on his face to study it further, somewhat cautiously. At this time she also became aware that she had moved two steps back. She wanted to look into his eyes - to study the alien forms. How _different_ they had looked. But something repelled her fiercely, and she couldn't bear to do it. Instead her eyes wandered to his nose, studying the underlying bone and cartilage which lent it its form. It was a strong nose, she studiously noted, complete with a slightly raised nose-bone - possibly hereditary, or possibly from getting it broken. She imagined herself in her lab coat and clipboard in hand jotting down notes of interest.

Suddenly Sakura turned around, unable to face him any longer, and made her way back to her 'spot'. It was comfortable there, at least.

"What are you looking for, girl?" he asked before she sat down.

His voice rasped, somewhat nasal in a mocking tone and Sakura turned back around pivoting on her foot. Her eyebrows knitted together making the pink hairs look oddly out of place. She was going to say something in defense - because she so wasn't looking for _anything_ - when he interrupted her thoughts, coughing violently. The shackles around his wrists made a horrid grating sound as they clattered loudly against the wall. His frame shook and trembled in the aftershock, and Sakura noticed the subsequent drops of blood hit the floor beneath him. Red, she noticed absently. Hemoglobin.

"Let me look at you," Sakura then said, the firmness of her voice surprising her

She was not supposed to be meddling aside from what was necessary - whatever that was - but that ever-looming medic side just couldn't be ignored any longer.

"Don't... touch... me," he managed.

He sounded like he was gurgling wet sand, and Sakura could not stand idly any longer. The trail of blood traveled from the corner of his dry, chapped lips down his chin, finally dripping down onto the concrete. Sakura closed the gap between them and paused for a second before touching her hand to his chin and lifting it up to closer inspect the man's face. The resistance she'd expected from him at her touch never came.

His eyes were closed now - his breathing causing his skin to vibrate in a shaky hum. Setting her face in a serious professional expression, Sakura began assessing him.

_'Remain objective. Remain objective. He is the patient. You are the medic,' _she repeated as she studied the man.

Without chakra at her disposal to feel around for internal damage, Sakura felt kind of useless. Nonetheless she needed to feel purpose at the moment more than anything. His skin, she noted, was a dull, greyish blue. Yet oddly, it felt no different than the countless other man-skins she'd touched during her career and Sakura felt a slight pang of disappointment at that observation. Her jade eyes roamed this stranger's body, taking note of every detail. His hair was matted, his skin dry, his lips were thoroughly chapped. Absently Sakura wondered if hers were in the same state and before she could stop herself, she touched her right index finger to her lips and dragged it across. Shredded. Cracked. Hair-thin lines thirsting, begging to be quenched.

_'Just like his.'_

Sakura's roaming hand abruptly shot back down to her side, the feeling of the rough skin of her lips stamped onto her finger making it throb. She ignored it and continued with her mock examination. The blood which oozed from the corner of his lip was laced with a whitish froth.

_'Definitely the lungs.'_

"You're severely dehydrated," she stated bluntly.

Still holding his chin in her hand she was transfixed on his mouth, willing it to open - to see those inhuman teeth which could tear her flesh so easily. His half-lidded gaze rose up to meet hers as if he were about to say something, then he stopped. Sakura felt something slightly crack within her, and as if burned, she released her hold on his face, watching the white imprint of where her fingers were slowly fade back into that dull blue.

Startled - for whatever reason - Sakura paced back to her own corner and sulked. She stared at the bucket full of water in front of her and felt selfish. On the most basic, human level she realized this _shark-man __- whoever he was and wasn't affiliated with__ - _did not deserve this meta-torture. Here he was bruised, beaten, shackled, dirty, ill and thirsty, all-the-while waiting to be the object of scientific experimentation - while she, Sakura had the luxury of drinking, washing and walking around. Not to mention the implied but still questionable "get out of jail free card" she could look forward to at the end. He _may_ have been Naruto's intended captor but she would not stand for this blatant inhumanity. If he had been a sinner, it was not her place to punish him. Her mind flashed back to his dark request earlier on and she quickly squashed that thought and the image it carried.

Filled with a sense of good intent she grabbed the grimy bucket handle and clumsily paced those few steps forward for whatever purpose it would serve.

The man looked way too absorbed in his own problems that he didn't bother acknowledging Sakura's renewed presence in his vicinity again. Sakura licked her lips then clicked her tongue against the back of her front teeth as if making a very important point.

"Okay. As revolting as this would normally be, I believe it's necessary in your current state... uh, sir."

_'Wow, really... sir?'_

She inwardly kicked herself for sounding so ridiculous, but he didn't seem to notice, or care. Sakura took this as encouragement and continued on.

"You're going to have to drink this water. I'm not letting you die. You're my ticket out of this hole."

It sounded harsher than she had intended and Sakura winced a little.

_'Akatsuki. Akatsuki. Akatsuki.'_

Still, she had to remind herself of their relationship.

Still no reaction from him. His head just hung from his thick neck like there was some invisible noose holding it there. She really believed that he wanted to die. Of course, Sakura couldn't blame him- how could anyone be optimistic about their future when they knew what it held? After all he was a _ninja_. His craft relied on chakra. Without it he was as good as dead anyway. He had no purpose.

Sakura stopped her thoughts as quickly as they manifested themselves in her mind.

_'Well, if he was so ready to die, then drinking slightly dirty bathwater should be a piece of cake.'_

She cringed looking at the bucket, but ultimately she looked more disturbed than he did about the situation. Forcibly, Sakura cupped her hands together and dipped them into the pail as she ladled the water into her palms and brought them up to her face for a futile inspection - the darkness just didn't allow for her to see much into it- perhaps a blessing after all. Not sensing cooperation from her subject, she used her knee to nudge his head softly so he could lift it up, but he resisted. For some reason she imagined a farmer plumping up geese before the slaughter. She spoke in order to derail her horrible thoughts.

"Please, just lift your head."

"I don't want your help," he said, flashing her an angry scowl.

"Please. You'll feel better!" she said desperately.

Sakura wanted to cry in frustration. Why were her good intentions being kicked back into her face so, _so_...

"If you wanna be righteous, you know what to do."

He was slightly slurring his words, but they didn't clump into each other like slugs - they rubbed harshly against one another like scales being stroked against the grain. He held more power over her in his near-dead state than she ever could. Suddenly Sakura felt stupidly useless again. She let her hands separate from one another, causing the water to hit the floor with a surprisingly loud splash. She looked down expecting a pool. There was only a small dark stain on the cold surface. This beast-man mocked her and now the hard, pock-marked floor mocked her.

_'Die for all I care, you jerk.'_

Sakura was too tired from the events of the day to allow any more anger to dwell within her. She deflated. Maybe tomorrow Kabuto will have finished with his meticulous preparations so she could justifiably kill this blue-skinned nuisance still hanging off the wall like some glorious tapestry. She allowed herself to wonder how a sharkskin rug would feel under her feet.

Scaly, damp, rubbery, thick, hard, plastic...

...Soft, smooth, porous, muscles shifting beneath fingers, red-blue veins casting thin trails under translucent layers of tissue-

She mentally had to stop her train of thought as it was confusing her already addled mind. The mass of man before her had given her enough of a headache with his weird, mysterious behavior and she didn't need to start questioning her own self in the process.

Noticing the two bowls of rice in the middle of the room, she made her way towards them grabbing one with no sense of guilt. If that self-absorbed _ass_ wasn't appreciative of her immense generosity before, then clearly she wasn't going to lower herself any further by trying to feed him too. Sakura returned to her corner and ate the flavorless food in silence, never once paying heed to the shackled man even as sleep took her into its welcoming arms.

That night she did not dream.


	5. Chapter 5

An angry clang served as the alarm clock, and a pink mess of matted hair shot up from under folded arms at the unnecessarily loud disturbance. Sakura spent the next thirty seconds trying to figure out where she was, what awoke her relatively peaceful sleep, and why her butt was cold and numb. As soon as the comfortable haze of sleep wore off, she remembered the situation she had been caught in and inwardly groaned. She had slept sitting down with her back pressed against the cold, unforgiving wall and her knees drawn up as a crude pillow for her head - and the muscles in her neck didn't waste any time reminding her of this. Trying to ignore the dull ache, blurry eyes blinked a few times to observe the source of the rude awakening and she quickly found out it came from across the room. The servant man had come in and unshackled her blue-skinned jail mate and was now attempting to drag his near-dead body towards the door. Sakura didn't think it was possible for the shark-man to look any larger than he already was, but the scene ahead of her proved her wrong. The servant looked amusingly small trying to lug the weighty mass of man across the room.

_'I wonder if he's dead?'_ Sakura inwardly pondered.

It wouldn't have come as a surprise considering the terrible condition he was in the night before. She guessed he had some sort of internal bleeding from the beating he apparently took.

_'Or it could've been bronchitis. No, no - it seemed more severe. Perhaps pulmonary edema? Hmm... yes, a valid possibility - he _was_ quite wheezy. But then again the shortness of breath wasn't as regular. Hum. Yes, yes, quite odd. We'll need to do some in-depth testing. I'll need sputum samples. Blood pressure needs to be checked. But clearly the slight foaming was a direct result of air being mixed into-'_

She was interrupted from her diagnostic reveries when she realized both men had gone and the door was once again shut.

"Uhh..?"

Her tiny voice echoed deceptively loud in the empty chamber. Sakura took a moment to rub the last of the sleep from her eyes and stretch, popping the air out of several joints in the process. Standing up to do some more stretching, she gave herself the opportunity to think about this whole predicament. She wondered what was going on. Why was she being ignored? Some part of her desperately wanted to be acknowledged. Being alone so suddenly was starting to make her feel a real fear creep up her spine.

Tracking back to yesterday, she tried to assemble the events that had occurred during her incarceration. She had awoken shackled. She was thirsty, dirty and paralyzed. Oh, and her chakra seemed to have taken a vacation. Instinctively, her chakra receptors tried to flare to life, but to no avail.

Once again, she panicked at the loss of control.

_'What is causing this? Is it a drug? No, it can't be - it would have metabolized by now... '_

She looked at her forearm, trying to see through the skin for any possible clues.

_'A... jutsu? It must be.'_

Sakura searched her mental database for any information on such an advanced technique.

_'Something like Neji's Gentle Fist technique? Blocking off my chakra nodes?'_

Her eyes squinted at her bare arms, trying to look for the telltale dotting where the nodes had been hit and plugged off, but she could see nothing.

_'No. Impossible. It would have worn off by now too. Besides, I can't feel my chakra at _all_. Victims of the Gentle Fist are only unable to _use_ their chakra, but they can still feel the networks in their bodies.'_

She became increasingly anxious. A cold bead of sweat made its way down her forehead. She was at a loss. Even if she managed to escape or be rescued, there was the real possibility of never being able to regain her chakra again. For someone who had such adept prowess in controlling and using it, this would be a death sentence.

Then there was this situation altogether. Kabuto. And that monstrosity he had threatened her with if she failed to comply with his terms. Sakura shuddered upon the flash of memory of the creature's warty skin and those hungry eyes. It had been bittersweet news when she heard of Orochimaru's death a while back; obviously, it meant one of Konoha's most dangerous and active threats had finally been extinguished and Sakura remembered the collective relief of the village upon gaining this knowledge. But, one detail just couldn't have been ignored. A dark-eyed, black-haired, frown-faced detail - _he_ had done it. He who had betrayed them all - he who had disbanded team seven overnight, and had in turn gained a sad, unspoken kind of gratitude for ridding the world of the white-skinned snake man.

And his brother Itachi was next in line.

But one detail which was never clear was what had happened with Kabuto, the snake's aide. It was generally assumed that he was taken down in the process, because if Sasuke was capable of killing Orochimaru, clearly Kabuto must have suffered the same fate. Then, unexpectedly during the search for Itachi, Kabuto had appeared - a changed man. Unfortunately Kabuto had in fact remained alive and worse, had somehow fused a portion of his master's own cells into his body. The obsession to have been capable of such a thing was alarming. They had been unable to defeat him there, but it didn't matter too much because they had more pressing matters to attend to. And so the meeting with Kabuto was brushed aside and the spectacled medic-nin was forgotten about.

Sakura tried to remember in more detail. Could there be a connection somehow?

_'Right.'_

She remembered Kabuto saying something about Orochimaru's cells taking over his body.

_'And if he is at a loss at how to contain the spread, then is that the reason..?'_

Sakura was frowning. Kabuto was manipulative, sure, but he would have mentioned this as the reason for needing her involvement. Besides, if he did want her to stop Orochimaru's post-death takeover of his body, he picked the wrong girl to kidnap. Sakura didn't even know where to begin on figuring out how to do such a thing.

And most obviously, Kabuto had been specific about her 'experimenting' on the rogue Kirigakure nin - the Akatsuki member. Murdering, blood-lusting, monster. Yes. That one.

Well, if that was all there was to it, then she would have to go through with the procedure with an 'eat-or-be-eaten' mentality. Sakura's strict moral code would have to be pushed to the side for her own survival. Besides, his involvement in Akatsuki made him a future target for assassination anyway. It was only a matter of time, really. His vast transgressions on behalf of the corrupted organization he was affiliated with were assuredly numerous, Sakura calculated. He tried to kill her _friends_, for god's sake. This was going to be easy.

"Revenge, right?"

Her previously set face of determination softened upon hearing the word come out of her mouth. She looked down into her lap and thought of what weight said word carried. She felt the all-too familiar pang in her chest and swelling of her throat, but steeled herself before the dam could crack. This was not a personal revenge, she decided. It was merely survival.

_'This won't break me. I will not become__ like_ him_.' _

This would be justice. Justice to avenge those who have fallen under the swordsman's wrath. He was to be reviled. A perversion of nature - a beast, monster. Hell, he probably _eats_ people; he's a goddamn _shark_. A ruthless, merciless killer. No matter what she would be forced to perform on this man - no, _monstrosity _- she would only be doing as a favor to those felled by him. A human manifestation of karma, she would be. These were the workings of the universe after all, and even though she was not a believer in fate, she would force herself to have faith in it now. For both her sanity and survival's sake.

And it was of no consequence that she would be helping Kabuto - the enemy - because Sakura was no traitor. No, because logically, no matter what he would force her to do, she would be set free afterwards and promptly return to Konoha and report everything - in great detail no less - back to Tsunade and the council of elders. This would then serve as highly valuable information to then proceed planning his demise. _Surely_, Kabuto didn't think that far ahead. Surely he was being overly cocky. Then they would take advantage of his underestimation and destroy him. Yes,_ yes_.

_'And Konoha will rejoice at their new saviour Sakura, who, singlehandedly caused the demise of one A-class Akatsuki member and one ex-Orochimaru's assistant.'_

Indeed. Her situation was looking less bleak by the minute. As long as she kept her head clear and focused on her survival, she would come out of this a shining hero.

_'Gill-face, you better not be dead,'_ Sakura thought, her fingernail already being worked between her front teeth.


	6. Chapter 6

Time went by agonizingly slow for Sakura. Trying not to think further about what was fated for her beyond that steel door, she instead shifted her attention to counting the pores on the floor underneath her. By the time that now-familiar roar resounded painfully in the concrete box she resided in, Sakura had counted six-hundred-and-thirty-eight pores. Carefully, she stored the digits in the filings of her cortex to be remembered later as some significant number - after all, she was a new believer in fate.

It was the servant who appeared behind the door as he interrupted her musings, standing with half his body visible, the door an immense shield.

"Follow me," he said.

For someone who spoke in such a deadpan but commanding voice, it didn't translate physically very well. He was annoyingly shorter than Sakura kept thinking, and had large feet, which just added to the awkwardness. Briefly, Sakura wondered if he too was one of Kabuto's or Orochimaru's science projects. Realizing the foreshadowing, she wiped her mind blank, and got up to follow the servant. This was the first step out of her nightmare, and frankly, couldn't come any sooner.

Sakura had at least hoped for whatever had been beyond the door to contain more light than the darkness in which she had been confined. Unfortunately that wasn't the case, as everything remained dim, and there were no distinct characteristics to give her any clues as to where she was. The halls which they went through were narrow and concrete all around. The air smelled earthy, like clay, but was distinctly dry. Sakura itched her arm in response, in turn realizing that the nails on her left hand had been so jagged they almost caused her skin to bleed. Promptly, she fisted her hands at her sides and tried to catalog her surroundings again.

They walked on through corridors and halls for about ten minutes, the shock of that much exercise so suddenly causing Sakura's leg muscles to hurt. Instinctively, she willed her chakra to travel to her hamstrings and calves to soothe the pain, but to no avail. She really didn't know how much longer of this chakra absence she could handle. The servant led her to another door - this one looking much like the ones back in Konoha, in the hospital which she all-but lived in. A wave of nostalgia threatened to cause an unwelcome sting in her eyes, but Sakura blinked it away, inhaling briskly to steel herself. A pale hand grabbed the shiny curved metal handle and pressed down, causing the grey door to open easily. A horrifying green-yellow flood of light poured out and threatened to burn off her retinas, and shielding her eyes with her forearm, Sakura waited in the door for the dots behind her eyelids to stop dancing.

"Ah, Sakura-san," came the snake-like voice from within.

Her skin crawled in response, and had she not been so keen on emerging from this ordeal intact and alive, she would have punched him square in the face for attaching that sarcastic honorific on her name. As if she wasn't going through enough. Whatever the case, Sakura silently welcomed the anger which Kabuto caused, because truthfully, the entire way here, her stomach was turning in on itself from nervousness. She kept advising herself to remain determined and optimistic, but it was failing step after step. Her anger proved a bittersweet distraction if nothing else.

Regardless, she was finally motioned into the light-filled room, her eyes steadily adjusting. It was a large space - like a clinic - the fluorescent lights making everything look flat by stamping out most of the shadows. The walls and floor were covered in white tiles and the ceiling was a network of exposed plumbing and ventilation shafts. At the far end of the room there were shelves of various solutions - and jars which contained things she wished she hadn't seen. Her gaze flicked quickly around, noting various medical paraphernalia on rolling metal carts scattered all over the space. And finally, at the far left of the room was a hospital bed which had on it one very sickly-looking blue-gray man.

_'No, not a man,' __Sakura thought bitterly._

Next to the bed were several screens which monitored various statistics and each machine had wires leading out and connecting to the subject occupying the bed. Kabuto was standing at the foot and turned to regard Sakura's unimpressed face. He smirked.

"What do you think?" he asked, gesturing to their surroundings.

Sakura scoffed.

"I'm not here for small-talk. Let's get this over with," she spat.

"Tsk, tsk. Don't test me, Sakura-san. And don't forget who's calling the shots here," he said, coming dangerously close to her.

Sakura just narrowed her eyes at him, fist twitching at her side. She had never been a blood-shed kind of person, but right now she wanted nothing more than to poke out those beady black eyes of his from behind his glasses.

"Yeah, I get it. You'll kill me right?" she said, feeling that rush of adrenalin spike within her, "And then what? You're screwed, because apparently you need me."

Then to Sakura's horror, something seemed to shift and move from underneath the skin on his face, and he licked his lips. Her anger quickly died down and cold fear began to seep in to the recesses it left.

"You think you have some sort of leverage?" he said dangerously, and Sakura could've sworn she heard Orochimaru's raspy voice from within him.

The girl recoiled a little, crossing her arms against her chest in defiance.

"Say it again, and I won't hesitate to prove to you just how expendable you are," he said.

_'Don't break, keep calm, he can't do anything to you,'_ she repeated inwardly, trying to steady her breathing.

"All I'm saying is that if you want me to do something, then let's get to it," she quickly offered.

Bowing to the pale-skinned man's will filled her with a deep disgust, and Sakura felt even dirtier than she already was. At that thought, something came to mind.

"At the least, I want a shower. I can't work like this," she said, interrupting whatever he was about to say.

She knew she was barely in any position to make demands, but the medic man just made her angry with his self-important attitude. And really, he said it himself - if he hadn't gotten a hold of her, he would've needed Tsunade instead, and that was just _absurd_. Either way, Sakura desperately hoped her humble request wouldn't offend his domineering attitude too much, lest he choose to demonstrate prematurely just how "expendable" she was.

"I was about to suggest a shower before you interrupted me, Sakura-san," he said, "It's unhygenic after all."

Sakura tried hard to reign her rising fury in, and successfully did so after realizing there was no use in getting any angrier. However big of an ass Kabuto was, and whatever was going to happen in the near-future was put on the back-burner as the anticipation of a warm shower brought a little wave of hope to her.

The servant began to walk back out of the room and Sakura followed, glad that Kabuto didn't decide to escort her. She had probably offended his delicate sensibilities enough that he didn't want to be anywhere near her at this point. In any other situation, she would have fainted from embarrassment from such a personal defamation, but frankly it was _his fucking fault_ she was in such disarray anyway, so she didn't find it in her to care. The awkward servant wasn't exactly much better but at least he kept his mouth shut. Once again, she was being led into the endless labyrinth that was Kabuto's abode, and once again she failed to pinpoint any distinguishing features that could help her get out - all standard-issue creep lair, as far as she was concerned. Briefly, it occurred to her that this was the same base Orochimaru occupied prior to his defeat. She wondered if Sasuke ever walked down these same corridors, and she found herself looking for ghostly footprints in the floor. If Sasuke had taken Kabuto down with his master, she never would have been asking these questions, but then again that was unfair because she had allowed herself to be caught in the first place. With a sigh, she followed on.

Quicker than she thought, the servant man had stopped at another door and opened it, revealing a tiny room with only a toilet and shower stall. There was barely enough space to turn around in, but Sakura was filled with an ecstatic joy as if it were a luxurious hot spring resort. Her escort left without a word and quickly returned with a towel which she greedily swiped.

"I will return in fifteen minutes," he said.

Not taking him for a liar, Sakura wasted no time and got to work divesting herself of her dirty garments. Frowning, she despairingly realized she would have to wear the same clothes since they were all she had.

_'Beggars can't be choosers, Sakura.'_

Without further ado, she quashed any other negative thoughts which threatened to spoil this and got into the shower.

Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, the door opened creating a bone-chilling draft of air to waft into the steamy room and causing Sakura to yelp at the discomfort. Luckily she had finished up and was wrapped in the towel, but her hairs were standing on end both from the cold and the creepy man staring at her in the doorway.

She clutched her chest and yelled at him, "Get out! I'm almost done you pervert."

The servant's face was blank and reaction-less but he seemed to comply and closed the door. Sakura debated whether or not he was some sort of robot - his demeanor was just eerily unnatural. Shrugging it off, she returned to clothing herself. It didn't take long before she was done, and immediately they resumed their walk back towards the lab-like room.

When they returned, Kabuto was busy pushing some buttons on one of the machines which monitored the laying man's vitals.

"At last. Come," Kabuto's voice demanded.

Sakura reluctantly left the safety of the doorway and made her way over, arms crossed. She said nothing, avoiding eye contact and _particularly_ avoiding the subject lying on the bed.

When Kabuto's face turned slightly away, she stole a sidelong glace to observe him, the feeling of anxiety rising within her. She really didn't know much about the man, but judging from the ways in which he had behaved in the past, she could confidently say that he was sociopathic. He was not merciful and had no personal connections to anyone but Orochimaru - who was by all normal respects dead. He also had no moral sense and it was safe to assume that he was capable of anything to satisfy his own goals. Currently though, she couldn't guess what those goals could be. Remembering what he had said about fusing Orochimaru's cells with his own, Sakura's gaze discreetly fell to his bare forearms, searching for any signs of that white, scaly, snake-skin of his former master. Not seeing anything, her eyes snapped back to a random spot on the far wall as she grew increasingly impatient.

"Let's get this over with. Explain the details so I know what I'm dealing with," she said bitterly.

"Hasty, hasty. I haven't even thoroughly examined Kisame-san. I was hoping you would assist me."

"In case you forgot, my chakra has been deactivated," she shot back.

Kabuto laughed humorlessly through closed lips. He raised an index finger at her and wagged it as if admonishing a child, "You can have your chakra back once I deem you to be a good girl who can follow the rules."

Sakura's cheeks instantly turned red from the anger she felt at his patronizing tone. She decided against lashing out at him and waited for him to elaborate.

Kabuto turned around to face the monitor which - Sakura casually noted - was a cardiovascular reader. He punched out a sequence of buttons, recording the resulting information onto a clipboard. After a moment, he turned his head towards her, peering up at her through his glasses.

"I am having more and more difficulty stopping Orochimaru-sama's takeover of my body. My chakra control is superior, but unfortunately I require a larger chakra capacity in order to remain in control of my body."

_'I thought so. Not so invincible are you, psycho,'_ Sakura inwardly scoffed.

"So what, you think I can just magically increase chakra capacity? Sorry, but I don't know of such a technique."

Sakura's tone betrayed the fear which manifested within her at what the consequences would be if she couldn't do that which he asked. What if Tsunade hadn't actually taught her whatever jutsu Kabuto needed? Sakura was sure he would kill her then.

"Do not be so dim, Sakura-san."

Kabuto turned back around to motion to the subject laying on the bed.

"Kisame-san here has a vast amount of chakra, much like a jinchuriki. As a result, he is just as capable as the tailed beasts and most importantly, he can wield the legendary sword Samehada which chooses its master based on their chakra abundance."

Sakura mulled this information around in her brain. So, that's why Kabuto wanted him. If he had as much chakra as a jinchuriki, then surely he was valuable. And the sword? She couldn't quite remember ever seeing it for herself, but now that he mentioned it, she _did_ remember Naruto telling her vaguely about a particular near-gruesome encounter he had with the thing - something about it shaving instead of slicing? She couldn't imagine what a sword like that would look like, and why Kabuto had interest in it either for that matter.

Kabuto then drew back the curtain which was behind the monitors to reveal a row of large glass tubes which reached from floor to ceiling, each containing an artifact of some sort. He walked up to one of the giant tubes and pointed to its contents proudly.

"Samehada. A beauty is she not?" Kabuto's finger almost lovingly traced the thick glass, following the shape of the sword.

_'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, indeed,'_ Sakura thought, inwardly grimacing at the sight.

"She is partially sentient, and most importantly feeds on chakra, thus rendering the opponent absolutely useless by sucking out and storing their chakra, for the wielder to harness. Truly a splendor and force to be reckoned with."

Kabuto was talking to himself, admiring the sword like one would admire their pet or child. Sakura didn't really see the attraction, physically anyway. It was impractically humongous, and she wondered how Kisame had been able to even pick it up. And it was covered in dark purple thorn-like scales which actually moved and shifted every once in a while. Even though it was encased in this contraption, she got the feeling that it could somehow jump out and rip them all to ribbons. Sakura instinctively took a step back.

Ceasing his previous musings, Kabuto spoke again.

"Anyway, I intend to transplant Kisame-san's chakra into my body, increasing my stamina and regeneration abilities. Only then will I be able to suppress Orochimaru-sama's take-over with ease. Not to mention having Samehada as my sword and Orochimaru-sama's power at my disposal - well, I needn't go further."

Sakura frowned in distaste. This man was _clearly_ out of his mind. She _had_ done a couple of chakra transplants in her life, but it was a gruelling, time-consuming process and the survival rate was low for the receiving party - and the donor _always_ died. Also, if Kabuto was right about the shark-man's chakra to be as vast as a tailed-beast, then it was truly beyond her levels of expertise. Truthfully, she didn't even know if it was possible to transplant such a large amount, on her own no less. She didn't know what to say. If she threw her hands up in the air, she would most likely be killed and Tsunade would be targeted next to perform the transplant. But if she _did_ comply, and the procedure was a success, then by the looks of things Kabuto would become a truly terrifying threat. And, knowing his obsession with his former master, Sakura knew he'd be after Sasuke first to take out his revenge; Konoha being next.

She was torn. Either way, the outcome was bleak. Chewing her lip, she decided to comply. For Tsunade's sake. _In part, she would allow herself a small admission of defeat, realizing that the imminent threat of her own death was the greatest factor in her decision, but now was not the time to feel guilty._

Gathering the spite back into her voice she responded.

"Fine, whatever. Chakra transplants are delicate though and you seem to trust me..."

"That, I have taken into account," Kabuto reassured.

As if on cue, a very guttural grunt was heard from somewhere behind her and Sakura whipped around and saw that same horrid mutation of a creature which he had tried threatening her with before. Although this time it was in a cage, it looked no less menacing, with the servant standing next to it as if waiting for the command to unleash it on her.

As a medic, she was accustomed to seeing many nauseating things, but this monstrosity really took the cake. His skin was half gone, revealing rotting muscles and tendons underneath, and vaguely she wondered how it didn't die from bacterial infection. Either way, she now had the added pressure of that _thing_ being in the room with her, as if she wasn't nervous enough.

_'Okay,' __she said, trying to breathe__, 'Ignore the thing and just focus on the task.'_

As she was one of only _two_ people who knew the chakra transferring technique, she felt determined not to let it faze her too much. And the other would be significantly harder to capture and convince to follow through, so really she was valuable enough. Sakura sighed. Sadly, through all her progression as a respected and skilled medical nin, she realized she still didn't quite possess that selflessness to defend Konoha at all costs. Sakura really _didn't_ want to die. Although she would do it to protect Naruto or Sasuke if the situation was immediate - maybe even Sai now that they had become kind of close - she still couldn't fathom giving her life up so easily for the village in general. It had been one of the secret reasons she wanted to train as a medic in the first place. Regular combat nin were _always_ ready to die; it was a given. She, on the other hand was cooped up in a hospital most of the time mending those who were lucky enough to return - rather, whatever was left of them physically and mentally. Even when she was sent out on missions as the medic on the team, the duty of her teammates was to protect her at all costs. She had lived her kunoichi life shielded from the noble duty of dying for her village, and now she was plunged into a situation where her "Will of Fire" would be tested.

_'But I'm not blatantly doing any harm to Konoha. Nobody will die as a direct result of what I'm about to do.'_

Sakura was successful in convincing herself, and at least for the time-being she allowed herself to relax a bit.

"_If_ you try anything to harm my person or sabotage the procedure in any way, the punishment will be severe. I'd rather not go into the, ah, _brutal_ details, but it includes you being trapped in a room with Hatsu-san over there. And, I'll have you know he has a tendency to 'play' with his dinner for _days_ before he decides to eat it."

He was smirking and Sakura stiffened at his words. She dared not look back at the aforementioned creature - trying to erase its sickening face from her mind. Gulping down the gag reflex, she nodded silently waiting for further instruction. He had her right where he wanted her - compliant and submissive, and she just wanted it to end.

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**A/N: **Thanks for the positive feedback I've already gotten. It means so much honestly :) I'll be trying to update this as often as possible since it's my first and only story.

In case you're confused about events, it's mostly all from what happened in the anime. But it's like a little while after, so Sakura is slightly older, but still nothing from the manga has actually happened yet. And I don't know much about the existence of any 'chakra transferring' jutsus, so I just made it up.


	7. Chapter 7

Satisfied with his plan to secure her cooperation, Kabuto walked over to Sakura to reactivate her chakra.

"Close your eyes."

Green irises narrowed sceptically at the speaker, then hesitantly disappeared behind eyelids, as her heart started to race. She felt like she was back in the concrete room shackled to the wall, and Sakura mentally added _training to use senses other than chakra_ to her to-do list for when she returned home.

_'Which will happen. Soon.' _

She heard the faint rustling of fabric and hands slapping together in quick motions.

_'Ah. Reversing the jutsu.'_

After the motions ceased, she felt that familiar tingle at the base of her neck. This time, instead of feeling a wave of pins and needles, she felt a surge of energy wash over her. It was almost euphoric, the feeling. Sakura grabbed the edge of a metal cart which was nearby for support, her breathing quickened from the adrenalin. She could literally feel the chakra reawaken in her, and as it resumed its normal flow through the tangled network in her body, the girl visibly shook; she _never_ wanted to be without it ever again. Immediately, she tried molding some chakra in her hands, revelling in the familiar sensation. All feelings of lethargy, soreness, hunger and general negativity seemed to be pushed aside momentarily as Sakura basked in the warm sensation for as long as possible before Kabuto shattered it, bringing her back to reality.

"That was a seal Orochimaru-sama had invented himself. It is a two-part technique causing bodily paralysis and chakra suppression. Unfortunately the subject has to be unconscious for it to take effect and applying the seal takes a considerable amount of time, but once it's applied the subject is unable to dispel it on their own. Only someone who knows how to use the seal can un-seal it. Hence, had your little Konoha friends come to your rescue and somehow killed me, they would have essentially handicapped you as well."

He gave a little chuckle at Sakura's resulting scowl, and then proceeded to grab something off of a shelf. He took some gloves and a folded square of gray fabric and handed them over to the waiting girl who snatched them displeasingly. She put the latex gloves on and held up the fabric as it unravelled to reveal standard-issue medical scrubs.

_'Just another day at work,'_ she inwardly sighed.

As she tied the strings of the scrubs behind her back and fastened her hair up, she took note that the Mist monster wasn't coughing or even breathing laboriously anymore. There was an oxygen mask over his mouth connected to one of the machines, and she wondered why Kabuto allowed the shark to get into such bad shape in the first place - after all, he had to be _alive_ in order for any of this to work.

"Start doing a preliminary check-up on Kisame-san. He has suffered quite a deal of damage for being so stubborn, so you will have to heal him since my chakra is nearly spent. I'm going to begin preparing myself for the transfer."

"You want me to heal him completely..?"

"Ignore any surface wounds, but otherwise yes. I assure you it's safe; he is under the paralysis seal. Kisame-san won't be eating pink-haired kunoichi as his last meal today."

Kabuto then walked over and gently patted him on the head in mock-pity.

The laying figure was perfectly still save for the steady rise and fall of his chest but Sakura got the distinct impression that she saw his eyebrow twitch at Kabuto's words. Said man left the bed's side and walked off to look for something and her gaze shifted reluctantly back to the laying man who she was soon going to be responsible for killing.

_'And so what? Just another _Akatsuki_ notch on my belt.' _

Inhaling a deep breath and standing up straight, Sakura set to work. Her subject was covered with a sheet up to his neck but she had to check his lungs first.

_'Like ripping off a band-aid.'_

Her hand grasped the linen and drew it down to his waist in the blink of an eye, trying very hard not to touch him in the process. She didn't know why she was being so adamant about avoiding the inevitable.

_'Ugh, just get over yourself Sakura!'_

This constant battle raging on inside herself was really becoming a hindrance, as she fiercely swept aside the qualms she had and took another deep breath.

_'He's an animal. An anomaly. Like a specimen in a museum. A specimen to be studied, dissected, learnt from. That's _all_.' _

"Okay," she said, sucking in some air as if steeling her resolve.

She observed him quietly. His chest was broad and very well defined; each muscle chiselled, but not in an overdone way. As his chest rose, the skin tightened over each muscle making him look even more defined. Curiosity piqued, Sakura leaned in closer to analyze more thoroughly, her hands gripping the metal rail at the edge of the bed. He had hair on his chest, which surprised her a little, and then her eyes drifted over the array of scars marking his torso, the skin tissue in various degrees of reparation. Suddenly wishing she had a magnifying glass, Sakura bent her body even closer, nose nearly touching his pectorals to look at the blue skin and the light pink scars marring it.

_'Fascinating.'_

Instinctively, her right hand twitched and let go of the railing as it made its way to his chest to explore him more in-depth. Not being able to feel much with her glove on, Sakura took it off and replaced her fingers back onto his chest right under the collarbone on the smooth expanse of skin. Her fingers trailed across from the right to the left feeling the texture with great concentration. She closed her eyes, relying on her tactile senses as an insight, and as she trailed her hand down across the rippled muscles, she realized there was no texture to his skin.

_'Aren't sharks supposed to have a grain to their dermis?'_ she wondered, recalling the jagged scales of a sharkskin scabbard she once touched in an antique store.

_'What was the word... Pla- Placoid scales, was it? Yes, I think was the term. Hm, interesting,'_ she thought absently, her fingers brushing over a particularly long scar under his navel.

"That doesn't look like a standard check-up to me Sakura-san," came Kabuto's voice.

Sakura's hand shot back down to her side, as she snapped back to reality.

"_What!?_ I was clearly checking for internal damage; there's a lot of bruising you know!"

She could feel a slight flush on her cheeks, but she hoped it would pass off as anger.

That cocky smirk plastered itself on his face.

"If that's how you do it in Konoha, then so be it. I guess the man does deserve a little groping before his death."

Sakura's mouth gaped slightly open in horror and her green eyes shot him a deadly glare. Her right hand curled into a fist and she resisted bringing it down onto Kisame's chest in fury. After all, it would just create more work for her.

"Do _not_ come to any sick conclusions goddamn it! I'm just as glad to be rid of this... this _murderous_ _criminal_ as you are!"

Kabuto ignored the fuming girl, clearly unaffected by her tone. After kicking herself for probably coming across too defensively, Sakura noticed the gray-haired man had taken off his shirt and there were electrode pads dotting his bare chest.

"I am going to perform a series of tests on my person in order to prepare for the transplant. I'll be stationed over here, so you may continue your, ah_, in-depth_ _diagnosis_, without further interference from me," he said and motioned over to another bed across the room.

Sakura turned away from him, once again facing the laying man so Kabuto couldn't see the renewed red flush staining her cheeks.

"I'll call you over once I'm ready," he said, and she could hear the grin in his voice.

She ground her teeth in anger. _Great_ .

_'When did I become such a pathetic, blushing schoolgirl? Tsunade would be embarrassed.' _

That little jab to her pride provided the resolve she needed and she continued on with her strictly-professional examination.

Deciding to ignore Kisame's chest momentarily, she directed her attention to his arms. They were bruised in the same spot on both sides, giving the impression that someone held him with a very strong grip. _'Hm. But he's over six feet tall. And Kabuto is a midget in comparison.'_ Not bothering to press it any further she moved on. Both arms had also been quite well defined but the right one was even more so. His right bicep and consecutively every muscle that followed on that arm had looked slightly larger. '_The sword.'_ Yes that must've been the cause. Sakura then noticed the torn and bruised flesh at his wrists. It looked like he'd been shackled longer than she was - probably _much_ longer, in fact. Her wrists were only faintly ringed with pink - not even worth healing - but the skin around his was whittled down deep, like two ragged, bloody, halos. A pitying pang plucked at somewhere deep in her chest but Sakura quickly dismissed it. Immediately, she began to channel her chakra through towards her hands and clasped each one around one of his. Trying not to think about how this looked, the pink-haired girl's chakra flared to life and enveloped the injured area in warmth. After some long minutes stretched by in such an awkward position, she had felt the shark-man's wrists were adequately healed. Releasing her grip, she studied her work; the deep grooves were gone, leaving behind jagged purple scar tissue in their stead.

_'Good enough - for a dead man anyway.'_

Immediately after the thought, Sakura's hands were hovering over his arms again, her chakra soothing over them to erase the angry, discolored bruises there too. _'For consistency's sake,'_ she told herself as she worked. Each bruise faded within a relatively short time to reveal that expanse of dull blue underneath. She found her fingers had a mind of their own, lightly brushing the newly healed skin after each bruise had disappeared. Not wanting to make anything of it she just continued on the same way, restoring the shark-skinned man's arms to the hue they once were. Briefly, she wondered if any of the older scars marring his skin had been the result of the fights he'd had with her friends - with Gai, Neji, Lee, TenTen. Sakura was tightly gripping his right forearm now, her eyes trained on a spot which - seconds ago - harbored a particularly ugly bruise.

_'These arms...'_ The pores she intensely scrutinized on said appendages suddenly blurred and her eyes could only see a uniform, unbroken shade of blue-grey. Sakura blinked the blur away almost as fast as it manifested itself. _'I'm a fucking mess.'_ She didn't even bother to mentally chastise herself this time. She was just going to continue on no matter how many times her mind betrayed her and interrupted her work. Miserably, Sakura moved back to his chest. She really _did_ have to check his lungs. For a chakra transplant to have the highest rate of success, the donor had to be in very good health.

_'Looks like Kabuto missed the memo.'_

The shark-man was nowhere near being fit enough for such a delicate procedure - and that was only from what she could glean from the outside. At that, her hands stretched out over the center of his chest and Sakura closed her eyes, sending her green-tinted chakra down into his body. Using it as a tactile sensor, she navigated through the layers of tissue which his alien body comprised.

She found herself softly murmuring to herself in great concentration.

"Epidermis... Dermis... Hypodermis... Muscle... Membrane... Bone... Tissue..."

Sakura stopped herself after realizing she never did such a stupid thing. It was like she was expecting to encounter something out of place. On the contrary, it seemed everything was - once again - eerily normal; resembling the countless average people she'd similarly probed with her chakra. Continuing on, Sakura's chakra finally arrived at the intended destination. She spread the green energy over the membranous tissue of his shark lungs feeling for damage, and it didn't take long for her to find it consequently. There was tearing - most likely caused from severe external damage - which resulted in an accumulation of blood to enter his lungs. The tear caused air to escape and blood to enter - an almost always fatal combination if left untreated.

_'And it hurts like hell, too,' _she added inwardly.

Sakura opened her eyes to scan his face. If he was feeling any pain, there was no indication in his blank features. Lightly cocking her head to the side she pressed her palms down harder against his chest to gauge his reaction. _'There!'_ That eyebrow twitched again and his breath slightly hitched. Sakura immediately regretted it, noting a disturbance around the chakra which still probed around his lungs. It seemed the pressure of her palms caused the tear in his lung to open further allowing more blood to gush in. Sakura visibly panicked.

_'Shit! I'm so stupid!'_

Wave after wave of chakra now furiously ebbed from her hands into the Mist-monster's body. Each wave coated the expanse of his lungs inside and out in a protective embrace and then Sakura focused her energy on controlling the chakra adequately to heal the wounds. With her eyes screwed shut and lips pressed together in a tight line, Sakura put all of her concentration into her masterful healing. Such extensive damage would take a good while to repair, but her mind was thoroughly focused on the task at hand. After a few minutes Sakura could already feel the delicate pulmonary tissue and bronchi regenerating. A long-held breath shot out of her once the healing process began working, and her breaths came more steadily afterward as she continued.

Twenty minutes into the process, she was interrupted by Kabuto from across the room. Sakura jolted out of her focused state at the sound of his command.

"Sakura-san."

"I'm not done healing him yet."

"It shouldn't be taking so long."

"...he has _severe_ lung damage - I assume you understand he needs to be as fit as possible to undergo the transplant?" now it was Sakura who patronized.

With an impatient sigh, Kabuto rose from the bed he was laying on and started plucking the electrode pads off of his chest. After he was adequately unplugged from the diagnostic machinery, he walked over to Sakura - who was still bent over the blue man, palms planted firmly on his chest. Kabuto swatted her hands away and placed his own over the now warm spot. After a few seconds, he removed his hand.

"Hm. It seems I still haven't restored enough of my own chakra. Fine. You will continue repairing Kisame-san while I regenerate. My assistant will continue to keep watch over you," Kabuto said, straightening and then pacing back towards his previous spot.

"Once you finish, come over here. You'll need to heal me also," he added.

Sakura looked over to the grey-haired man, a look of intense distaste on her face. He was sitting on the bed and she noticed he also had been injured. Half-healed gashes and lacerations marred his pale skin, mostly on his back. _'Well that explains his chakra deficiency. He must have fought with shark-face for a while. Ha! He really does need me._' Any previous fear of Kabuto randomly deciding to kill her completely vanished. He was pretty useless at the moment, having used up the majority of his chakra most likely from restraining the shark and putting sealing jutsus on both him and herself. It was quite an exertion, and Sakura guessed at the moment he was probably trying to artificially replenish his energy supply. She wanted to advise him to wait until he fully recovered before undergoing the chakra transplant but she wasn't going to involve herself any further than necessary. Then again, if something _did_ happen to him, she would be left alone in the company of those two creeps whose eyes she could feel roving her body behind her. Shuddering, as if to shake their gaze off of her, she remembered Tsunade warning her about Kabuto's abilities from her encounter with him long ago.

_'If he could counter Tsunade-sama's attacks so effectively he must be pretty skilled.'_

Yeah, he probably had something up his sleeve. There was no way he would take such a serious risk. Sakura sighed at herself; this was the second time she was praying that her enemies would survive. Albeit for her own selfish reasons, it was still contrary to everything she had been taught as a shinobi.

_'Stupid morals.'_

Sakura put her hands on her hips and stared down at the Mist ninja in the bed. He appeared so docile. So damn_ helpless_. She contemplated punching him really hard to get a violent reaction out of him - at least that would be true to his nature. His _beastly_ nature. She imagined the scenario in her head - his sharp teeth bared, viscous saliva threads hanging off the points, yearning to taste blood. His unnerving eyes would be nearly bulging out of his sockets, bloody capillaries radiating from the center of pinpoint-small pupils. The monster's blue, spiked hair would be sharp barbs standing on end like the raised fur on a hissing cat. His veins would engorge with adrenalin, rising to the surface of his skin and threatening to rip right out from the fury. Sakura's breaths quickened as she nervously stared at the man, her mind waiting for her thoughts to manifest themselves in reality, yet it never happened. The only movement he made was the result of the machine-powered rising and falling of his chest. Suddenly angered at the oxygen mask, she hastily pulled it away from his mouth.

No violent lunges at her neck ensued. No gleaming white shark teeth penetrated her flesh. No animalistic growling, no scales, no claws. No _nothing_. Just breaths. Breaths which now came in uneven intervals and more raspy than with the aid of the plastic mask. But Sakura wasn't satisfied - she needed _some_ confirmation of his beastly nature. Clasping his jaw in her hand, the medic girl proceeded to pry it open. Rows of sharp, pointy teeth revealed themselves to her studious green irises as she gazed into the man's mouth, but still she wasn't feeling apprehensive at all. The teeth were _indeed_ inhuman and his mouth _was_ slightly wider than normal but still, Sakura's body failed to react accordingly - to recoil in horror or fear.

She traced her index finger over one of his smooth teeth, and even as she pressed it to the pointy end, it didn't to break her skin. _'Clearly it's because he had dulled the points from all the _human_ bones he'd chewed on.' _Satisfied with that theory Sakura closed his mouth. Still disappointed at herself though, she decided to search elsewhere for something to confirm how disgustingly monstrous he surely was. Her fingers rested on his bottom lip now, feeling the skin there. It was dry and flaky from the dehydration he still suffered from so it wasn't a particularly great indicator of anything. Slowly navigating upwards, Sakura's fingers dipped into the valley between his lips and nose. She could feel the warm exhale of air waft over her hand and her body immediately reacted, sending a wave of goose bumps over the surface of her skin. Over his nose bone her fingertips trailed, searching for anything alien, out of place, weird, creepy, _otherworldly_...

Nothing.

Sakura searched thoroughly, feeling his strong brow bone, pushing into the skin as if to press a magic button which would provide her with what she wanted. She stroked over the gills on either of his cheeks and was astonished at how she wasn't repelled. Beyond the sides of his angled face her fingers met with a familiar cartilage. _'Ears.' _Lightly tracing the creases, she realized they followed the same shape as regular ones. As if burned, she quickly brought her hand up to clutch the fabric at her chest. Sakura's heart raced, and frustratingly she didn't even know _why_.

_'Apparently I have a latent ear phobia. Great.' _

Sakura slapped her hand to her face in tired frustration. She looked at the subject of her woes through one half-lidded, tired eye. She was so tired of this weird game. How could she be so strangely affected by this guy? He was _paralyzed_ and _unconscious __and it__ so wasn't fair_. Interrupting her inner angst, the man's chest suddenly heaved and he coughed. A spattering of blood sprayed from his mouth staining his lips, then he coughed even more violently as if a dam had just given way. More crimson blood now spotted the slate-blue of his face, and alarmed, Sakura's sweaty palms suctioned themselves back onto his chest, her chakra immediately searching for the cause. The tear which was on his left lung had reopened - most likely due to her extremely stupid decision to remove his oxygen mask. She hastily replaced the plastic over his blood-stained mouth with her free hand, then instantly resumed mending the torn pulmonary tissue, coaxing the ragged edges to fuse back together. Time went by quickly as Sakura concentrated to control her chakra as accurately as possible. She was starting to feel drained after fifteen minutes of uninterrupted healing and she hunched uncomfortably over the hospital bed.

She wasn't sure when it happened, but somehow while healing the shark-nin, Sakura had managed to pass out. And she didn't know for exactly how long either, just that at some point, a cold hand was on her shoulder shaking her with clear annoyance. When her eyes shot open to protest, no light poured in. Her nose was awkwardly pressed into something hard and slightly damp._ 'Oh no.'_ As if someone poured ice water down her neck, she shot up and in the resulting daze, fell back and landed very ungracefully on the tiled floor.

"_Ow_," she groaned. Sakura also managed to hit the back of her head against a metal cart in the process causing her skull to vibrate and her ears to protest at the loud clang.

_'Someone up there really hates me.'_

Kabuto was looming over her with the servant next to his side.

"What are you doing?"

"Clearly, I _fell_. And hit myself!"

"Well get up and finish your job," Kabuto ordered, arms crossed over his chest, narrowed eyes glaring down at her.

"Excuse me? I'm fucking _tired_, _drained_ and haven't even _eaten_ properly in god knows how long! Sorry to offend your delicate sensibilities Kabuto-_sama_, but I'm only human! I can't say the same for any of you freaks though!" Sakura yelled with dramatic emphasis.

She was holding her throbbing head with one hand and using her other one to gesture with. Kabuto just stared at her like she was a child throwing a tantrum, looking thoroughly disappointed. He pointed at the body occupying the bed, then proceeded to admonish her.

"Perhaps if you had not wasted your chakra healing _unnecessary_ things, you would not have collapsed."

Sakura wanted to hide behind something. She desperately searched for something to retort with but nothing rose out of her throat. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a half-sigh half-growl. She was reaching the limits of her sanity.

"Get up," Kabuto snapped, "I'll give you two hours to rest and then you will resume. I will not tolerate any more of this foolish behavior."

Sakura's anger flared again as she lifted herself up, watching his back turn from her. She caught the glint of silver from the corner of her eye as she glared at him, realizing just how easy it would be to grab one of the surgical tools on the metal cart and _just_...

She ground her teeth and clenched her jaw, realizing it was only a foolish hope, and besides, right now Kabuto had agreed to let her rest.

_'A break. I'll get a break.'_

She really needed it; her entire body screamed with the desire for a warm bed and hearty meal. She didn't know exactly what Kabuto meant by 'rest' but she'd take anything at this point just for some alone time.

Kabuto motioned over to the servant and told Sakura to follow him.

"Two hours. I'll come and retrieve you after so we can finish this. _Don't_ think you've dodged a bullet Sakura-san."

With that Kabuto turned away to go do something and Sakura felt a familiar cold grip on her arm.

"You don't need to lead me around, I can handle myself, _thank you_," she spat rather harshly. Really, the servant hadn't done anything horrible to her during her entire time in this ordeal, but he still gave her chills nonetheless and she didn't want him anywhere near her. Sakura got up and followed the already moving man.

She assumed she'd be led back towards that concrete box of a room she initially woke up in, but instead she was led to one a few doors away from the hospital-like room. Inside, it was very much concrete-lined like everything else, but to the girl's immense relief there was a bed. Well actually, it was more like a wobbly, rusty, metal cot with a dirty mattress on top but Sakura rejoiced nonetheless. Pacing back a few steps over to the cot she plopped down, and sleep took her instantly.

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**A/N: **Review and let me know what you guys think or if you have any questions/mistakes to point out. Thanks to my readers :)


	8. Chapter 8

He was at a loss. For some hours since he had been brought into this room, Kisame worked at dispelling the seal which rendered him immobile - a fruitless endeavor, to say the least. This was _some_ jutsu, if it was capable of affecting him so strongly. Usually restraining techniques were ineffective against his massive chakra or would wear off quickly, but everything he tried so far to dispel it seemed to fail. Ultimately, Kisame blamed it on his weakened state; if _only_ he had been more careful he wouldn't currently be in this shitty situation.

In the meantime, it looked like he was trapped within the confines of his mind. It was just as well - at least this way he could occupy himself by thinking of all the ways in which to kill the little prick responsible for putting him in this mess in the first place. Yes - once he found a way to get un-paralyzed he would set to work slowly torturing this little 'Kabuto' boy.

_'I'll rip into his gut, then slowly pull out his intestines for his viewing pleasure. Mm. Then maybe I'll feed him his own balls... if he has any, that is.'_

Mentally grinning to himself, Kisame continued on with his macabre musings as he renewed attempts to activate his chakra.

_'Impalement via Samehada?'_

_'Nah, too much clean-up. Not worth his sorry ass,'_ he thought, meticulously trying to activate the chakra in his right forearm.

_'Feed him alive to a shark summon?'_

_'Too quick,'_ he thought dismally.

_'Or maybe I'll break every bone in his scrawny little body, so he knows what this paralysis bullshit feels like.'_

He gave himself a mental pat on the back for the great idea and jotted it down in his memory for later use.

_'Yes, and _then_ feed him alive to one of the sharks. Mm.'_

His train of thought derailed momentarily, as the stale air around him shifted to reveal a new scent.

It was that girl.

That little slip of a girl - who was apparently a kunoichi - was now in the room. At least his superior sense of smell was still functioning, otherwise he'd be relying too much on his hearing which was a bit obscured at the moment. That bastard had purposely done something, but luckily he still wasn't deaf. Not bothering to strain his hearing any further, Kisame decided to use his sense of smell instead to figure out what was happening. He could hear muffled talking but didn't pay attention to the details, instead taking in the new scent that joined the room. It was clearly someone who had days' worth of grime on them, but somehow he found he didn't mind it all _that_much because underneath were hints of sweet feminine notes, like herbs or something. Not that he cared terribly about such things, but at this point he'd take anything to distract from the boredom and pain his body was experiencing. Unfortunately he didn't get enough time to fully indulge his olfactory senses - the girl was gone it seemed.

Wasn't she supposed to be performing the transplant? Why would Kabuto be stalling the procedure? Oh well, Kisame was _not_ about to complain - this just bought him some highly valuable time.

Unfortunately, he soon found out his determination was lacking since his mind kept bringing up images from the night before when he was bound in that cell with the pink-haired girl.

He had been desperate.

Kisame realized that was possibly the lowest point he had ever been at in his entire life - when he asked the girl to perform a _coup de grâce_ on him. He tried to bury the disgusting memory, but unfortunately, all he had was his mind right now, and it felt like humiliating him apparently. And really, what was he thinking back then? It was _completely_ unlike him. Sure, he _may_ have been in the deepest pain he'd ever had the displeasure of feeling, and it _would_ have thwarted that Kabuto nerd's precious plans, but the fact remained that he should have retained his pride regardless - he shouldn't have asked for _that_.

_'Well at least she refused.'_

Yes, and he was glad she denied him. At least now he had a chance to get out of this ordeal and exact his revenge on that spectacled bastard. And what a sweet revenge it would turn out to be. Kisame decided not to think of any more events which transpired in that cold room. Those things were best left forgotten and locked away somewhere never to be revisited again, joined by numerous others. He brushed his momentary weakness off as a working of insanity and duly forgot about it.

At least now he was unshackled and relatively comfortable - from what his numb body could determine, anyway - in this bed. And most importantly his lungs didn't feel like they were full of boiling acid. That bastard must have drugged him or something, but he was _not_ about to be grateful. Besides, Kabuto was only keeping him alive for his own gain.

_'Keh! The only thing that prick will be gaining is a slow and painful death.'_

Feeling a new rush of determination, Kisame continued the arduous process of commanding his body to move.

_'Left index finger: twitch. Twitch. Come on. Twitch you littl-'_

In the middle of his mental meditation, Kisame's nose reacted again to a disturbance in the room. There was something familiar -

_'Ah, she's back.'_

He didn't even know why he let it interrupt him. His priorities should have been obvious.

Eventually he decided to humor himself anyway, and explored the scent more in-depth. It was significantly different now, bright, as if that succulent herb scent had won dominance. And after a moment longer, Kisame realized that it left a not-wholly unpleasant taste on his palate. He willed his nose to inhale deeper, but unfortunately it seemed some outside force compelled his lungs to breathe in regular intervals. It was only _slightly_ unfortunate though, since he shouldn't really care about such frivolous things like pretty smells - especially considering his dire predicament. Deciding to agree with the reasonable part of his brain Kisame ceased the pointless activity and refocused his energy on his previous task of talking to his left index finger.

Unfortunately he didn't get very far in that endeavor since the smell which had previously interrupted him decided to do so again. And this time it had become clearer, closer. Yes, the girl stood somewhere near him. He couldn't remember her name, or even ever seeing her before he ended up here. One thing was for sure though - she didn't look very capable of being a shinobi, so he found it puzzling when Kabuto dropped her into the cell he occupied days before. At that point, Kisame was well-aware of what Kabuto intended to do to him since the man had made it a mission to explain it in detail - a scare tactic probably.

_'Ha!'_

Kisame inwardly chuckled at that. He had been subjected to far worse in terms of mental torment, even at the hands of those who wore the noble guise. In particular, he remembered that Ibiki bastard's interrogation tactics long ago, and even then, he couldn't make a dent in the shark-man's hardened resolve. And apparently, Konoha used the term _interrogation_ rather loosely considering it was closer to torture, prompting Kisame to wonder how many other dark secrets the supposed 'straight arrow' of a village harbored.

_'Itachi cared about that village way more than it deserved.'_

Kisame was slightly shocked that his mind would bring up his recently fallen partner, as he hadn't really given him much thought since his death. Now that he thought about it, Sasuke had killed Itachi only a week before Kabuto captured him. He had not mourned. He had not given the customary moment of silence. After all why would he? Itachi had only been a partner, and both of them had separate goals which they strived towards. The only reason Kisame had joined Akatsuki was because he was disillusioned by what his village planned for its shinobi and they were always kept in the dark and being lied to.

He sought truth.

A _true_ reason for his existence.

And that's where his and Itachi's thoughts on the matter differed. Itachi continued to side with his village, despite having seen its darkest sides, whereas he left Mist the moment it revealed its true nature.

And so he offered his loyalty to the Akatsuki, in some last-ditch effort to find meaning. Pein's philosophy had been as close as he could get to some semblance of truth in the cruel world he'd been living in. He remembered engraving the slash across the Mist symbol on his forehead protector unflinchingly, as he made Pein's goal, his own goal. Kisame was no longer fooled - the world was by nature a shitty place, and if they could harness the bijuus power in order to keep it in some semblance of order, then so be it.

And Kisame did everything that was asked of him loyally. One by one, the group's members fell to opposing forces, but not once did Kisame's loyalty falter. But alas, things unravelled for the remaining members of Akatsuki after it emerged that Pein was _not_ in fact the real leader, he was just a pawn. A pawn who was being played by the true leader of their organization - none other than Uchiha Madara. And worse, Pein's vision of peace was not shared by Madara It had just been a front so that the member they all knew as Tobi could plot secretly in the shadows while everyone else worked to capture the jinchuriki. After Pein's death, Kisame decided to leave Akatsuki - once again disappointed by deceit. Without his partner and his leader, he spent the following days in seclusion, thinking of what he wanted to do next.

What was left?

He had no comrades and no village to call home. He pondered going to track down and kill any past enemies - like that over-energized taijutsu user from Konoha - but Kisame realized that he was too old for pursuing such pointless things. He had seen far too many people lose their sanity over vengeance and he was not going to sacrifice his for the sake of some idiot in a green jumpsuit. Or anyone else for that matter.

_'Except for you glasses-boy.' _

Either way, if he did go and kill everyone who had fought him in the past, he would still be left empty in the end. Goalless once more.

Women didn't want him. Money couldn't buy him anything he wanted in particular. Religion he didn't believe in. _Power_, he already had. Nothing. Nothing at all was left. Alone and secluded in a random cave he stumbled across after secretly leaving Akatsuki, Kisame desperately searched his mind for something which would give him purpose.

A clue. A hint. An epiphany. Anything.

Each day he surfaced from his mental search empty-handed.

And after a week, it seemed fate had decided for him, as he awoke shackled to a wall with Kabuto's snake-like grin in his face.

But this was far from over, Kisame decided as he recollected the past events. After all, he didn't believe in fate, and whatever path he'd end up on in life, this was the least desirable.

No, he would get out of this and find that which he sought, no matter long it would take him.

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**A/N: **Yes, this is a shorter chapter, but I really wanted to write a little from Kisame's point of view in this story so far. And I also wanted to fill in some holes in the storyline and events that happened. Obviously I'm not following what happened in the manga, but basically everything is pretty much the same up until Pein's death. From there I'm making it up completely. I hope you guys are liking it still, and remember to keep reviewing! I love all my readers- you motivate me to keep writing :)


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Hey guys! Sorry it took forever to get this chapter up but I was going through school stuff so it'll be all over after exams. Thanks for the awesome reviews, I seriously LOVE them and they make me want to write more. So yeah, enjoy the latest installment and anticipate the next one soon ;)

* * *

"Wake up."

She was in the midst of an earthquake, Sakura was sure of it. Everything was shaking around her, and making a terrible creaking noise coupled with a muffled baritone which was hard to ignore even in her sleepy haze. Once her mind's fog was able to clear a bit, she noticed a terrible cold grip on her shoulder. An all-too familiar cold grip, which was also seemingly the source of the shaking. Her eyes were itchy from fatigue, her muscles beyond sore, and her stomach was so empty it made her feel like puking.

_'Oh physiology, how you make sense sometimes.'_

The jostling of her person didn't cease, and the girl wondered briefly if her assaulter could feel the murderous intent coming off of her.

_'If only I had more chakra, I'd punch a hole straight through his goddamn face!'_

She chose to ignore the rude awakening for just a few more seconds in the ignorant bliss of sleep, but sadly, it didn't last for as long as she would have liked, because the nausea from all the shaking was steadily threatening to overcome her.

"I'm _awake_! I'm fucking awake! Are you happy now?"

Sakura continued her frustrated ranting as she got up from the bed, touching her hands to her head to feel out the subtle throb there. She opened her eyes and noticed the servant who had woken her was standing by the door now, staring at her blankly as usual. She seriously considered snarling at him to see if he would react in any way, but then her eyes landed on a small tin dish by the bed. It had something round in it.

"Soldier pills? Are you serious?"

The servant said nothing, as expected, but she continued anyway, mainly because conversations were few and far between around here. Normal ones at least.

"So, no real food then?"

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering neither you nor your boss look like the chef types," she added, the servant unresponsive.

Even as she complained, Sakura snatched one of the moss-green balls from the bowl and began eating it. She was too hungry to be choosy, but knowing how bad these things usually tasted, Sakura was sure her body would reject it soon after swallowing. She had eaten so many soldier pills that her taste buds had gotten used to the strong medicinal flavor, so fortunately her body held it in. As she chewed, she picked out almost every ingredient which it was composed of with great interest.

_'Fennel root, wormwood, ginseng - of course - oh, is that... pine mushroom?'_ she wondered, thoughtfully pursing her lips, _'No, no, it has the bitterness associated with the Ganoderma genus. Hm, interesting.'_

She had to give it to Kabuto - he knew what he was doing. As much as she hated to admit it, this was actually going to help her a lot. Any hopes of gaining extra sleep-time would be gone as soon as the nutrients began entering her bloodstream. And judging by the ingredients, it was clear he was intent on replenishing her stamina. The servant had left the room but came back with a glass of water and Sakura greedily swallowed its contents washing down the dry food. Half the bowl was gone by the time she was ordered to get up and begin following the quiet man again.

Sakura's steps became increasingly more purposeful and energetic as she walked and she almost forgot her ordeal.

_'How bittersweet,'_ she sighed to herself.

This was how her blonde teammate usually was when they'd go off to do a difficult mission. He was so enthusiastic that it sometimes rubbed off on everyone else too. Usually she would complain about the long days of travel and how her feet hurt, but Naruto would trudge on happily asking if she wanted to be carried. Sakura stifled the sad chuckle that almost escaped her throat.

_'What would he have done in my situation?' _Sakura thought mentally to herself.

She couldn't imagine Naruto being so compliant.

_Ever_.

He would have tried everything imaginable to regain his power and then proceed killing whoever tied him up in the first place. Although it was highly unlikely Kabuto would ever be able to get his hands on him anyway, as Naruto had become immensely strong from his training with Jiraiya surpassing even Kakashi some would say. And then Sasuke, well, he had single-handedly taken out Orochimaru, so clearly he was also unlikely to be kidnapped like she was.

_'Sai?'_

No, Sai was ANBU trained. They had become kind of close after some time, and sparring with him always challenged Sakura. Each time he would find a way to beat her, no matter how powerful she had gotten. The pink-haired girl was staring at the floor, her steps now slowed - the gap between her and the man ahead increasing.

_'How could I be so weak? To let my guard down like that in the middle of a mission...'_

"Quickly."

The servant had turned around noticing Sakura was lagging behind. Sakura grudgingly followed.

_'This just means once I'm out of here, I really gotta amp up my training. Right.'_

She mentally consoled herself and continued on.

Back at the mock-operating room, everything was just like when she had left. Well, it _had_ only been two hours that Sakura had slept, but she wasn't expecting Kabuto to be still recovering his chakra. He_ really_ must've been spent.

"I am nearly prepared. I will need a few moments more and we can begin."

Rolling her shoulders and popping some joints in place, Sakura ignored him and sniffed nonchalantly.

"Will you be able to perform kunoichi?"

He was mockingly smirking at her, but she met his gaze unflinchingly.

"I'm always ready, idiot."

She could also sense him shaking his head to the side in disapproval, but she decided to play it cool. No sense in arguing with him any further; Sakura needed all the energy she could muster for what lay ahead.

"I suggest you come here and heal the rest of my wounds, Sakura-_chan_."

Sakura's eye twitched in annoyance, wishing for the guy to just shut the hell up already. He was sitting on the edge of the bed he occupied and made a come-hither motion with his finger while leering at her with a predatory gaze.

_'Ugh.' _

After seeing that she really wished she hadn't. It was truly hard to determine his moods - he usually acted sarcastic and one could even say easy-going, but it was _Kabuto_. He was a good actor if anything. This was the man that had convinced Konoha he was on their side during the first Chunin exams while secretly plotting for Orochimaru. And when she looked at him she thought for the briefest moment that it really could have been Orochimaru's serpentine face she had seen. Or maybe it was just a flash of something evil gleaming in his eyes- she wasn't sure. Either way, he was not to be trusted and she had to stay on guard. Sakura steeled herself and made a mental reminder not to buy into his seemingly light-hearted disposition. She walked over rather stiffly, her hands unknowingly balled into fists at her sides.

Sakura stood at the corner of the bed about a meter away from the man sitting on it. He just smirked again at her and lay down on the bed.

"Unless you can magically heal me from that distance, I suggest getting closer," his voice was dangerous. Sakura got the hint.

She approached him rather awkwardly realizing how close she was to his bare-chested body. He was covered in oddly-shaped scars. They sort of looked like tracks of deeply ripped skin where something had bitten him repeatedly.

_'Just one freak after the other. My lucky day.'_

Having forgotten about her defensiveness, Sakura's head was slightly tilted to the side trying to figure out the strange scarring pattern. Kabuto broke her curiosity.

"Samehada, obviously. Quit ogling me and begin healing."

_'You wish,'_ she thought inwardly, resisting the urge to retch.

Sakura's hands flexed and she wasted no more time. A green aura was already forming around her hands and she was about to place them on the wounds. Inwardly Sakura was wondering how quickly she could mold enough chakra to thrust into his heart. If she could just get a glimpse of his arteries, she could do it so discreetly, he wouldn't move a muscle, and she could escape.

As if he read her mind, Kabuto's voice came sternly with the clicking of his tongue, "Don't make me remind you..."

With that he pointed back to the corner where the servant and that caged creature stood. And with that, the servant rattled the cage slightly causing its inhabitant to swat at the disturbance violently, thrashing around with a bloodthirsty gleam in its eyes - thick drool hanging from its maw.

Sakura's eyes widened and she swallowed the lump of bile which rose in her throat.

"That's what I thought."

Effectively silencing any murderous thoughts she might have had, Kabuto laid back down with that all-too smug smirk plastered back onto his complexion. Sakura didn't need much more persuasion, and she set to work immediately.

After she had finished adequately healing Kabuto's chest, he had flipped onto his back and ordered her to clean up the mess there too. Apparently the aquatic man had really put up quite a fight before he was captured. Sakura found herself silently commending him for it. Not letting her thoughts wander any further than that in case Kabuto really was telepathic, she cut them off and focused on fusing back his horribly marred skin. It seemed like he had tried healing himself many times but the scars would continue to reopen and bleed. And they were deep scars she noticed; ones which took longer to heal than most normal ones. Sakura also found she was instinctively repulsed by touching his skin directly. Her hands hovered above it just enough to not make any contact but still channel enough chakra. When her hand did accidentally brush against his skin, she found it to be disturbingly cold and clammy. _Inhuman_. She tried to remain objective and focus on the task at hand as much as possible.

After some time, Kabuto shifted and sat up. Sakura stepped back awkwardly, and watched as he touched his skin as if testing the quality of her work. Not making any indication that he had approved or otherwise, he got up and grabbed something off of a shelf.

"It's time."

Sakura whipped around to see where he was going. The grey-haired man walked briskly towards the neglected shark-man who still lay unmoving. Kabuto's back was facing her but he raised his arm and motioned to the girl behind him to come. For once he wasn't smirking cockily, fuelled only by the desire to get this done and quick. He pressed various buttons on the diagnostic machines and disappeared behind one of the curtains nearby, remerging with a bed on wheels. He pushed it right next to Kisame's and then looked at Sakura.

"How are his lungs?"

She glanced at the shark-man and instantly her hands were on his chest, chakra feeling out the familiar organs. After a few seconds, she spoke. "Looks like the tear is holding together. No leakage. His breathing is relatively steady, but he's not at one hundred percent-"

"Good," came his response, cutting her off.

Sakura bit her tongue. She was going to inform him that the procedure was going to be dangerous but once again was glad for the interruption.

Kabuto walked over to stand next to the shark-man. He was frowning but squared his shoulders.

"I'm going to remove the paralysis seal," he said, handing Sakura a familiarly clanking metal object, "but first - he must be restrained. Either way, Kisame-san is _quite_ weak but this is a necessary precaution."

Kabuto was already clasping the rusty shackles around blue-skinned wrists then fastening them to the metal rails on the bed. Sakura took the hint and repeated the action apprehensively on his other arm, trying not to think of the new scars the shackles would inflict. After Kisame was restrained to Kabuto's satisfaction, he straightened himself again carefully observing the lying man. With a tiny moment of hesitation, Kabuto's hands touched together and fiercely glaring at the pink-haired girl opposite him he gave a silent command. She felt a primal fear grip her, and closed her eyes in understanding. After hearing the sequence of hand signs, a faint pop resounded from in front of her. Sakura looked down, heart racing and eyes wide, waiting for the shark to open its predatory orbs.

Mere seconds turned into hours for the kunoichi as she awaited a reaction - _any reaction _- from the aquatic creature. A sudden cough escaped the blue lips, and the lidded eyes she so intently observed were even further screwed shut from the exertion. Startled out of the silent anticipation Sakura jumped back a bit. As her heart worked its way to a regular pace, she noticed the shark man's previous blank face was now marred with a frown and he let out a soft groan from somewhere deep inside. His fingers also twitched every once in a while, as his nerve endings fired back to life. Power hummed under that deceivingly still skin, just waiting to burst forth. Sakura looked at him intensely. Despite how strong he looked though, he was also experiencing a great deal of pain, and suddenly she was reminded of his desperation in the cell they once shared. His morbid words echoed in her head and she wondered if she should feel guilty for not ending his life when he wished it.

She looked over at Kabuto apprehensively since he hadn't made any motion or sound in a while. His eyes were glued in a blank gaze on the man beneath him. Sakura felt an icy trail of sweat make its way down her neck, causing her entire body to erupt in goose bumps. She felt unnerved at his behavior but couldn't look away. There was so much tension in the room at this point that Sakura wanted to smash her fist into a wall just to snap it.

Before she had the time to figure out how to ease the rising discomfort, Kabuto's fist shot out and punched the lying shark-man with full force in the gut. Sakura stumbled back in shock and fear. The unpredictable action caused the now-wounded man's eyes to shoot open and blood to spatter out violently from his mouth onto the starched white sheets. As the shark coughed up a storm, Sakura's bewildered eyes just latched on to Kabuto's maniacal ones.

"What the hell did you do that for?!" she yelled, her voice shrill as she clutched her chest, trying to steady her breathing.

Kabuto's face was now blank and the previous mania in his eyes was gone. His gaze was still fixed on the man before him, and then he sneered cockily as he watched his victim expel every bit of blood from his lungs. Sakura looked at the horror scene in shock, unable to make any sense of things. Instead, she quickly ran back to the side of the bed and clapped her hands to the still-heaving man's chest. Instinctively her chakra burst out and began healing whatever wound he had just acquired. Regardless of who this being was, nobody deserved such treatment - especially when they were fully defenceless and in such poor shape. Sakura was about to send a deathly glare at the gray-haired man responsible, but she noticed he had turned around and started applying those same electrode pads back onto his body.

Not wanting to even begin questioning his logic, she wondered about her own. What was _she_ doing? Sure, instinct led Sakura to be compassionate towards anyone in pain but this was a man who was going to be doomed anyway by her hand - probably very soon by the looks of things. She looked down at the creature. Both of his lungs were now torn. As she frantically poured chakra into them, Sakura decided she was almost at her wits end with these two. Was this just normal behavior? She didn't want to know. She just wanted to go home and get a proper night's sleep free of the company of sadistic jerks. Bringing her hand up to her forehead she wiped it free of sweat, suddenly noting the absence of her hitae-ate. In doing so, her eyes moved to the blue-skinned man's still present one - a ragged line marring the once-proudly displayed Mist symbol. She looked away, feeling a pronounced pang of sadness hit her at the underlying implication; after all it would be hypocritical to be wearing the Konoha leaf on her forehead while she helped its very enemy.

Kabuto decided to finally acknowledge her, "I didn't give you orders to do that. Stop."

Sakura looked at him furiously, her hands still glowing green. He was now sitting on his bed, fully wired to the monitors.

"Stop? Do you _want_ there to be complications during the transplant? Actually - don't tell me, I don't need to know about your masochistic fantasies too."

"It was a necessary warning," he said, "I assure you, that man can take a lot. There will be no complications."

_'Warning? Ha, what a joke_.'

Kabuto purposely injured him because he was _scared_ of this shark-guy? In his current state? Sakura tried hard not to laugh.

"Whatever, your funeral."

Kabuto grabbed her by the arm and licked his lips dangerously.

"Don't forget what my demise would mean for you _Sakura-san_. You better do your _utmost_ in order to make this procedure succeed - otherwise..." he just smirked as Sakura's face grimaced.

She was getting sick of the constant reminder. Yanking her arm back to her person, she stood her ground, trying not to replace her hands back on the still-suffering blue man. Out of the corner of her eye she could see his body wasn't shaking anymore, but his breathing was still heavily labored. Sakura stood in between the two beds of her enemies at a loss with herself. Her shoulders sagged a bit as she stood waiting for her instructions to come. Every instinct in her body was telling her to go and heal the wounded creature, but she wouldn't do it - it would jeopardize her standing with her captor, not to mention her sensibility.

_'Exactly, I don't heal the bad guys. This is just karma at work, inflicting as much bodily pain as possible before his death.'_

She couldn't help but glance once more at the red-stained blue skin, before Kabuto spoke up again.

"I'm going to lie down and initiate the chakra regulators. You are to apply these pads on Kisame-san over here and plug them into the monitors as per my instructions."

Kabuto gave her a stern look and then pointed to a tangle of wires and pads next to the monitors on the other side. She walked over and began untangling the mess and laying them down one by one onto the blue man's bed, her hands involuntarily trembling. Unlike her though, he was strangely still, as if he was once again trapped in the paralysis jutsu. Sakura decided it was just testimony of her healing skills and continued untangling white wires. After they were all separated she proceeded to attach the electrode pads onto the blue skin. She worked swiftly and efficiently; consequence of having done this countless times before - in normal circumstances anyway.

Kabuto studied her movements like a hawk and told her exactly where each wire was to be plugged into. After she was finished she looked at both men. They looked like they were caught in a strange spider web - the white wires tethering them to regulators which were also going to play a role in killing one of them. She looked at the implied. He was still. It was odd to think moments ago the veins in his forehead were jutting out while sticky red blood sprayed from between his blue lips and sharp teeth. Sakura had gotten what she wanted - to see those very animal features. She had looked into his eyes as Kabuto winded him, but instead of being gripped by fear, Sakura had felt pity - pity and horrible, horrible _guilt_. Why was she being betrayed by herself like this? These were unnatural thoughts to be having about dangerous people, and at such an inconvenient time. His teeth should have sunk into her flesh, tearing the meat, fat, bone. He should have risen and gouged Kabuto's eyes out with his bare hands. That is what monsters did; especially monsters backed into very tight corners.

Sakura chewed her lip and decided not to think about it anymore. He would be dead soon and all of this would cease plaguing her.

The monitors on either sides of the two beds were now steadily beeping in tandem, showing regular patterns of chakra flow. In order to smoothly transfer chakra, both parties had to have it regulated to a steady flow, then the rest was up to her. Sakura stiffened and waited for Kabuto to speak.

"It is time. You remember how to proceed?"

"Yes," she said quietly, with no enthusiasm.

She stood in the center of the two beds once again and looked at Kabuto - his eyes closed and lips slightly upturned in one corner. He was anticipating this like a child anticipated getting a birthday present. Sakura felt disgusted at his inhumanity. She looked over to the left and hesitantly walked over. Unlike the man opposite him, the bound shark looked almost peaceful. It was as if he had come to terms about his fate and was just waiting for it to be done. Well, maybe _peaceful_ wasn't the right word since he was covered in the blood he had previously coughed up. Sakura found her hands moving on their own as she gripped the edge of the white sheet, scrunched it slightly, and brought it up to his chest, roughly and hastily wiping off the crimson stains. As she moved up towards his face, she slowed her movements and carefully wiped away the remaining traces. She took her time dragging the cloth across his still-chapped lips and down his chin, his jawline, his neck. Each touch burned his image in her memory even further and she didn't bother thinking what consequences that could later bring. After all, she was just performing a last moral duty to lessen her own karmic debt. She took one last look at her handiwork and then blinked away the last of her indecisiveness, straightening up.

Her lips were so firmly pressed against one another that they almost stuck together when she tried opening her mouth to breathe in. Shakily drawing a breath, Sakura began executing the first sequence of hand signs. A large net of green chakra manifested itself through her outstretched fingers. She moved over the shark's body and with a moment of hesitation she placed her left hand gently over his abdomen.

_'This is it.'_

Closing her eyes, she began drawing out his chakra. She could hear her blood roaring in her ears from the pressure of her eyes being closed so tight and the strain of her concentration.

_'Oh god,'_ she thought, _'oh god, I'm going to be sick.'_

Sakura poured every fibre of her being into remaining objective and just getting the procedure over with, but unfortunately it wasn't enough. Especially since the chakra which was now being siphoned out of Kisame's body brought with it a loud, horrendous groan.

_'I'm sorry, oh god, I'm sorry!'_

The hand on his chest shook as she felt him arch upwards, the shackles which tethered him clanking loudly as he roared in pain.

And it was only going to get worse.

Sakura finally opened her eyes, in a last attempt to force herself through this, but the sight of the man under her was too much. She couldn't murder him. Her concentration snapped, and his chakra recoiled back into him, as Sakura clutched her hands to her chest. She let out a shaky sob and ran towards one of the curtains, gripping it for support as she tried not to vomit. She heard Kabuto's voice from somewhere, and the which eyes on her back burned fierce, but nothing really registered. Sakura fell down on the floor, her hands unable to summon enough energy to even hold her up straight. It didn't matter, because this was the end anyway. On her knees, she raised her head back and screamed, wailing uncontrollably into her hands as she waited for the inevitable.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N**: Quick update is QUICK, eh? This one is written in Kisame's POV again. It's a bit of a recap of a few previous events, but also a (hopefully) exciting lead in for the next juicy chapter. Enjoyyyy :P

* * *

Kisame was concentrating all of his energy into chakra control. He diligently worked to regain use of the energy and after a while, he felt like he was making some progress, however small. It was as if that magic little combination was almost in his grasp, but a new hurdle would always appear to hinder his efforts. Nevertheless, Kisame remained determined; after all, he had a very important goal, one which involved a meticulous torture and subsequent killing of Kabuto - and he couldn't forget that.

Numerous outcomes played themselves in his mind of what he would do when he _did_ dispel the jutsu, but he kept mentally reminding himself to stay on track. His animalistic side screamed and tore at his ego, wanting to take over and saturate his mind in murderous thoughts, but Kisame's rationality and self-control was surprisingly well conditioned. More alarming than thoughts of violence though, was that every once in a while he would get distracted by the kunoichi. The pink-haired one. And those certain thoughts were getting harder to ignore considering the things she had done to his body earlier.

Well, he had to admit to himself, it wasn't much- at least not to the average person. But unfortunately for someone like Kisame, these occurances didn't happen very often - not from totally willing participants anyway. Also to his sorrow, it just so happened to be his luck that he was completely paralyzed while the slip of a girl stroked his body so...delectably. It was nothing short of torture - being unable to react or respond, just trapped within his mind with his traitorous thoughts.

But the girl...

Kisame was no expert on medicine and the ethics involved, but he seriously doubted that it was normal to touch patients in the way that she had.

_'Not complaining.'_

No definitely not. And it wasn't like she touched him in a sexual way _per se_... it was more so an innocent, curious touch laced with hesitation and exploration. He steeled himself and resumed trying to pulse his inert chakra receptors to life.

_Silence. Blank. Empty mind. Control. Breathing. Focus. Pulse. Strain. Flow. Flow. Flow. Expand. Rush. Focus harder._

Except... he just _couldn't_ forget the way her fingers traced his body, his face. Particularly when her travelling digit made its way to his lips. His skin was oddly numb, completely void of an actual nerve response, but imagining it in his mind provided an excellent substitute. Then when the girl's finger trailed into his mouth, he found himself mentally catching his breath. Nobody in their right mind would ever have dared to get that close to him, but he supposed he was in a prime position for such scrutiny. Even then so, he admired her boldness - or possible insanity - for he could still taste her skin on his tongue; a pleasant warmth at such a dark time.

Also... the medic girl's healing powers _had_ pleasantly surprised him.

_'Fuck, this is going nowhere.'_

Mentally punching his brain, he let his thoughts wander for the time being. He was becoming increasingly useless in this state; it was like his mind constantly sought out anything but the most important task at hand. Either way Kisame gave in to reminiscing about the delicious way the girl's chakra penetrated him and enveloped his wounds. He could sense every vibration of warm energy, every fiber of every muscle stitching itself together. Such a feeling must have just been a side effect of his paralysis, he deemed.

It was strange since all his prior medical treatments had had the complete opposite effect though.

Kisame recalled one particularly horrid incident when he had carelessly fought against a very proficient johyo wielder, and subsequently got his right ear sliced clean off. Needless to say, said ear-amputator had suffered an incredibly painful death from the hands of Kisame soon afterwards. After returning to the Akatsuki base, Kakuzu had to reattach the ear back onto the side of Kisame's head with his weird stitches, much to the Mist-man's chagrin. As grateful as he was to have his hearing device back in its proper place, the process hurt like a _fucking_ bitch. And Kisame was a man who could handle _a lot_. Not to mention, Kakuzu wasn't exactly the definition of kindness - in fact he was pissed all the time and avoided all unnecessary socialization. The Akatsuki sure knew how to choose them, Kisame thought with a grim chuckle.

He wasn't about to be a hypocrite though; sometimes he thought about his own characteristics. Truthfully, he was never really dismayed by his appearance, or the reception of it by other people. He only ever cared about being stronger in terms of battle, so with a body like his he had a great advantage. He was a direct product of the reputed "Bloody Mist" and it made him glad that at least some good came out of his upbringing there. Mentally flexing his hand Kisame thought of his Samehada as well. Nobody but him could wield the terrible beauty that was the shark-skin sword, and it caused a swell of pride to surge within him. Then he felt his blood thirst return when he remembered Kabuto's intentions with his sword - with _him_. Kisame's sensitive nose instantly went to work to try and pinpoint where said mad scientist was and what he was up to. He was still in the same spot somewhere in the room and his scent remained unwavering in intensity.

If he hadn't taken note of the subtle shifts of scent and sound he would have assumed someone had killed the little prick.

Maybe the kunoichi.

Except that was impossible seeing how she had passed out on top of him earlier after healing his damaged lungs. Kisame had to chuckle to himself half-humorously - the girl was clearly not cut out for this sort of work. She made a decent medic, but otherwise he guessed she would make a pretty pathetic combat nin with such lousy stamina. Taking advantage of her absence, he continued his chakra-regaining exercise unhindered.

At some point he had felt a very, _very_ subtle hint of activity in his chakra network, somewhere in his forearm. Kisame inwardly rejoiced and decided to focus on that particular spot primarily; if he could activate even _one_ receptor, his immense amount of chakra would act as a flood and burst the dam which was the paralysis seal. He ignored every pain in his body, every blood-lusting thought, every fossilized linger of numb finger-trails over his blue skin.

_Silence. Stillness. Focus._

Kisame even failed to acknowledge the girl when she returned to the room; he just couldn't blow this opportunity. It was a matter of life and death, and unlike before, his life had some purpose in it now - no matter how small.

_'I will take my time with you, glasses,'_ he thought, laughing his low, dark laugh inside the recesses of his mind.

If Kisame bothered to pay attention to what was going on around him, he would have heard some muffled dialogue and approaching footsteps. Thoroughly focused on the mission to get his arm working, he didn't even sense the presence of two figures looming over him on either side of the bed he occupied, or the metal clasping around his wrists. After a few moments he finally felt something. There was a definite shift in himself, as if he had just entered a different dimension or something.

_'What the hell? Did they start already? Am I out of time? Shit!' _

The audible pop - like a release of pressurized air - caused a snowballing effect of terrible pained aching inside of him. Kisame immediately came to realize that the chakra receptors he was so painstakingly trying to stimulate in his forearm were now becoming responsive - and _quickly_. Just like he had imagined, a flood built up and exploded with vigor out from each receptor filling his body with sensory perception. It was first the nerves that flared to life, each one screaming out that he was in pain- probably from the lungs, which Kisame was already aware of, but not to this extent. He couldn't willingly move any of his body parts, but could feel involuntary twitches from his hands. Ignoring any pain or aches he felt, Kisame made himself ready to react - to rip apart whoever stood in his way. With every pulse of chakra, he felt more and more anticipation, the animalistic part of him threatening to take him over entirely. The only unfortunate part was that his body just would not cooperate with his mind. Kisame focused then on his blood circulation, weakly using chakra to will it to move a little. Very slowly it seemed to have some effect as the tingling in his extremities got more intense and moved inwards towards his torso.

_'Good. Just a little more...'_

Then a sudden pain gripped him with such intensity that it forcibly caused muscles he forgot he had to roar in protest.

_'Fucking hell.'_

Punched. Punched in the fucking _gut_. His veins roared with life now, the violent act having forced them into working again. Kisame would have been grateful, if it wasn't for the incredibly intense chest pain and blood he was now spitting out - his pride notwithstanding. Finally after having lain in this shithole for god knows how long, he was capable of movement, regardless of how limited. He raged; his blood hot, his throat burning, fists aching to crush necks. Instead he waited. He bade his time for the right moment to strike. That idiot was clearly underestimating his power to release him so unabashedly. No cheap, sleazy punch would cripple the likes of Kisame. He was an S-rank shinobi and Kabuto would soon know just what that implied.

The blue-skinned man decided to play it safe and not give any indication that he was regaining his strength so quickly. He masked his chakra as it built back up and worked its way to a steady flow so as not to alert Kabuto in the least. He laid perfectly still, like a predatory fish baiting its clueless prey, and when the right moment presented itself, he would make his move. Kisame had to force himself not to flash a toothy grin at his own genius. For once he felt legitimately good; could feel the blood, the chakra, the adrenalin rushing through his veins. The thrill of the bloodbath that awaited was almost making him dizzy with excitement.

Then he felt something else. A familiar but unidentifiable warmth.

_'Mm. Nice.'_

The bloodlust in him ceased raging for the time being to focus on the new feeling. A familiar pressure, a soft humming vibration. Kisame fought every urge not to open his eyes and look at the girl he knew was now healing his fresh wound. For a second he wondered why, but instead he was fascinated by how much better it felt now than before - now that his nervous system was more alert. It was a strange, comforting feeling and the fact that the rest of his body still ached and tingled made it feel even better. He inhaled with steady control so he wouldn't startle her and enjoyed the scent that wafted in through his nostrils. Pleasant. Comfortable. Not like flowers smelled, not like any perfume - but uniquely... her. He would have to pursue it further some other time, but now more pressing matters were at hand.

Kisame once again forcibly steadied every possible fibre of his being into a smooth, unsuspicious rhythm. He was never the greatest at meditation and the like, but being trapped in this hole had forced him to get in tune with the mystic powers of his psyche. Every second that passed gave Kisame energy. He felt like he could get up and punch a hole straight through the concrete floor. Thinking better of such an ambitious undertaking, he decided to remain in waiting and regenerate as much of his power as he could.

A sudden, brief flash of Itachi manifested in his head and he almost chuckled to himself at the implication. Before he had met his now-deceased partner, Kisame had been overly zealous in his actions, always jumping headfirst into every situation before assessing it. Itachi never mentioned anything to the Mist-nin, but battling alongside the sharingan user had eventually taught Kisame many invaluable things, one of which he realized he was employing now. _Patience_: a virtue which he didn't know the true meaning of for quite some time before. Mentally smirking, he promised himself it would be a long while before he would meet again with his old partner.

Kisame tuned his senses to the maximum and waited.

After having some sort of rubbery-feeling pads applied to his chest, he realized he was going to have to make his move soon. The transplant procedure was probably going to be initiated pretty quickly if Kabuto had any intelligence at all - left to regenerate fully would make Kisame a serious threat for him, and he couldn't risk that.

_'Heh, little do you know.'_

Kisame took this opportunity to very faintly open one eye to assess the current situation. He was attached to some machinery and his wrists were clasped to the metal frame of the bed. No problem - he could break free of those relatively easily. Otherwise, nothing else truly hindered his escape, except for maybe the two figures over in the corner at the other end. Well, then again, no, not really. They were most likely there as an intimidation tactic to force the medic girl into doing their dirty deeds. He couldn't blame the kunoichi - if he were as weak as she was, he'd feel apprehensive too, especially after getting a look at that mutated creature thing.

Cracking open his eye again he realized the girl was now coming towards him again. Quickly he reassumed his "unconscious" state and waited for her next move. He was surprised when instead of hearing her perform hand seals, there was a rustle as she grabbed the cloth he was covered with and started wiping the blood from his chest.

Kisame couldn't help but be shocked again by her actions.

He couldn't figure her out, but he'd be damned if he didn't relax a little under the touch. This was definitely not protocol, so why would she bother paying attention to such a strange detail? _'Must be one of those female mysteries I'll never figure out,'_ he guessed to himself. As the cloth traveled upwards, her movements became more slow and calculated, and for the briefest moment, he forgot the predicament he was in. When she dragged it across his sensitive lips, Kisame found it becoming harder to keep a steady breathing pattern. The urge to open his eyes and look at the creature doing this to him was almost unbearable. He wanted to see her face, wanted to know what she was thinking as she removed the bloody traces off of his skin.

Before he had a chance to consider further, something in the air changed - something subtle but ominous. Shaken out of his previous musings, Kisame strained his acute senses further to pinpoint the disturbance.

_'Shit.' _

There were four different chakra signatures somewhere far off, but heading closer at a running speed with purpose, and Kisame guessed it must be Konoha tracker nin looking for their missing medical kunoichi. Whatever the case, this was _not_ going to be good for his escape plan. He was a wanted S-class, ex-Akatsuki, rogue nin, and Konoha would definitely want him captured for questioning and whatever else. He needed to plan out a course of action quickly before anyone else noticed their gaining presence. Before Kisame had a chance to think further on the matter, a searing heat stabbed him suddenly in his core. His eyes shot open in shock and the arteries in his neck threatened to explode out of his skin. A pale, quivering, dainty hand was flattened over his abdomen - the source from which the pain came. Kisame saw white spots as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. No thoughts processed. His brain froze and all that came out as testimony of his being was a chilling, primal sound from the depths of his soul.

Soon after the pained utterance resonated in the room, Kisame was abruptly brought back to reality. He attempted to grasp what just occurred while his body tried to recover from the aftershock of burning pain.

_'My chakra...'_

He instinctively tried releasing some of the chakra in his shackled hand and after a moment, nearly sighed in relief after feeling the familiar sensation. Pain gripped him still, but the commotion all around him was enough to take Kisame away from dwelling on it any further. The pink-haired girl was on the floor away from him sobbing her guts out, and Kisame's own pain-marred eyes gazed absently at her hunched form for some long, drawn out seconds. Just what the hell was going on? Jerking back his head he noticed that ghastly creature and its master had made their way to the girl's side and were about to lift and carry her off somewhere while she violently thrashed and resisted, screaming. Kisame looked away, closing his eyes. The four intruders were about to reach this room and even Kabuto was now up and alert.

One thing he did know, and that was that this entire mess was about to become a _whole_ lot messier.

This was his only chance to break out of his bindings. Kisame gritted his teeth and braced his aching wrists. Expelling a massive, sudden surge of chakra, it overrode the chakra-stabilizing electrode pads, causing them to pop off his body. Instantly, his chakra flow sped up and almost overwhelmed him in its sheer intensity. Kisame had to blink a few times to regain his composure and grinned widely as he felt the metal around his bruised wrists burning and expanding.

_''GGRRH!"_

With an exertion of force, the shackles violently shattered and hit the tiled walls with a loud clang. Kisame ignored the bleeding from the bits of metal which managed to embed themselves in his skin; his adrenalin-fuelled mind was seeking one thing only - Kabuto. At that moment, Kisame noticed the bed next to his was vacant.

_'Goddamn coward!'_

Licking his lips, he decided he would now _really_ enjoy taking the little fucker apart. But first, he would take this opportunity to get his sword back. Having sensed Samehada's presence in the room already, he knew where it was stashed. Quickly rising from the bed with the advantage of the adrenalin rush he felt, Kisame found he could walk- albeit a bit slowly considering the pains he was still experiencing.

Forcefully swatting a curtain to the side he slightly stumbled towards his goal, and saw Kabuto standing in front of the cylindrical contraption which encased Samehada.

_'Perfect. Two birds one stone,' __he thought with a near-maniacal sneer._

Grinning even wider, Kisame made the murderous intent he felt clear. Like a wild cat stalking its prey, the shark-man inched forward. Kabuto looked frantic under his stoic facade and stepped to the side where a metal panel was, his finger hovering over one of the buttons on it.

"Take another step, and I destroy the sword," he said as firmly as possible.

Kisame's brows furrowed even more in anger and he broke out in a dangerous laugh, completely unfazed by the gray-haired man's threat. Kabuto's face began to mutate, he noticed, the right side of his already pale skin turning even paler as a strange scale pattern erupted over it. Kisame just watched the bizarre transformation unfold completely undeterred. Flexing his fingers, the shark-man was about to make his move.

That's when Kisame noticed from somewhere in his blood-hazed mind that the ear-piercing screams from the pink-haired girl had abruptly stopped.

Silent tension filled the room and there were four distinct chakra signatures present in the doorway.


	11. Chapter 11

Sakura was in a state of shock.

The chaos that had just unfolded was too much for her to handle. She was about to have a nervous breakdown when that hideous monstrosity was released from its cage by that servant and headed towards her. The reality wasn't really sinking in since she was lost in her miserable crying, but as soon as she felt a cold hand clamp onto her arm she almost lost it. The servant and the monster were now trying to grab her and drag her somewhere - most likely punishment for sabotaging the chakra transplant. At some point, one of them stomped roughly on her ankle, effectively breaking the delicate bone to stop her kicking.

_'Oh, fuck.'_

And that's when she became hysterical with anger. This was _not_ going to happen. Survival mode kicked in as she struggled and wrestled her way out of their hold. She had a death grip on a piece of metal piping coming out of the wall and she wasn't going anywhere - even if they had to break more bones she would resist. During her struggle, Sakura heard a loud yell, then metal clanging as she noticed to her added horror that the shark-man had somehow actually escaped from his bonds. She was going to cry again as she realized he probably intended to kill her for nearly killing him a few minutes ago, but then noticed he was half-limping elsewhere. The girl struggled to focus enough chakra to her fist as she tried to escape before the shark-man came back for her, but then she sensed something overwhelming from the depths of her gut.

Someone else was here. Sakura was ready to turn and face the army of more deformed, failed, science experiments - most likely waiting to join in the Sakura abuse - when she felt something as the door was busted down.

Something haunting, and chilling and... familiar.

_'No...'_

She turned her head slowly, momentarily forgetting her plight. Her eyes connected with a figure clad in unfamiliar garb; white shirt, dark pants, a purple shimenawa around his waist - he looked different, but she knew that hair, those eyes far too well to be mistaken.

There was no doubt, it was Sasuke.

Three others unrecognizable to her flanked him, but Sakura didn't register any thoughts, her gaze still fixated on the one in the center. Her throat couldn't produce any more sound and her mouth hung open slightly, as she blinked in disbelief. It _couldn't_ be him.

"You."

That _voice_. That slightly nasal, authoritative tone. Sakura jolted upright a bit, expecting it to be her whom he addressed, but instead she numbly followed Sasuke's now-pointed finger elsewhere. No - it was directed to the blue-skinned man at the other end of the room. Sakura watched everything as if it progressed in slow motion. Sasuke and his accomplices were now walking towards said blue-skinned man, completely ignoring her presence. Sakura just made a pitiful squeak of agony, perhaps from the pain in her ankle or otherwise, she couldn't decide. She wanted his eyes to meet hers desperately - a greeting, an acknowledgement, _anything_. This boy - now a man - had been at the center of her thoughts for so long, even after he betrayed everyone and left the village. After everyone gave up talking about him, after everyone stopped caring, she remained vigilant in support of her old teammate. She didn't even want to know how often thoughts of Sasuke plagued and occupied her mind. Where was he? What was he doing? Would he ever return? Did he ever think of his former team- of _her_? Of that last night, at the gates of Konoha? After so long, the shock of unexpectedly seeing him and his vacant face turned away from her was unbearable; Sakura wanted to sink into an abyss and never re-emerge. It was too much. Her hand unclenched from the metal railing on the wall and she fell, black nothingness taking her as she drifted out of consciousness.

Kisame stood firm, oblivious to the goings-on in the other corner of the small room as he glared warily at the finger aimed at him.

Uchiha Sasuke; Itachi's killer.

And on top of that, he was accompanied by the same three who he came with the day he killed his brother. Suigetsu - brandishing a particularly annoying grin, the redheaded girl and the orange-haired quiet guy. Great. Frankly, he thought that was the last time he'd have the displeasure of seeing them, but it seemed something brought the little group here - apparently in search of him. He couldn't come up with any explanation in his head of why they sought him out - and at such a particularly inopportune time - but it looked like he was about to find out. Whatever the case, Kabuto's imminent torture and death would have to wait, unfortunately. Kisame could feel Kabuto tense up behind him at the arrival of the group.

"What do you want?" Kisame spat bitterly at the intruders.

The Uchiha strode briskly towards him, face grim as usual.

"I have questions to ask of you."

"It's a bad time," Kisame said, cracking his knuckles in emphasis.

Sasuke glanced past Kisame's shoulder nonchalantly. Kabuto stiffened.

"I will take care of your problem, and you will answer my questions."

Without even waiting for a response, Sasuke took the katana from the rope around his waist and brushed past Kisame, making his way towards Kabuto.

"Hey, hey, now. You can stop it right there. This is _my_ fucking kill."

Kisame had grabbed the Uchiha by the shoulder before he could get any closer to Kabuto - who looked quite panicked at the two men talking so casually about his demise.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in irritation at the shark-man, but then in compliance, replaced his katana back where it rested before.

"Fine, but I'm restraining him to prevent any interference. You can do what you want afterwards. Karin, Jugo, Suigetsu."

Sasuke gestured at his teammates and then to the two who were still standing by the now-unconscious medic girl. They quickly took the cue and proceeded to restrain them - Sakura included.

Kisame stood amidst the activity with his arms folded, a displeased look on his face. Here these little jerks were trying to take away his glorious moment of retribution, without even considering how he felt about it. And, on top of that, he felt like absolute shit. His lungs were still damaged and he was beaten all over. He'd been in captivity for who knows how long, and his body wasn't wasting any time reminding him of that. He was hungry, dehydrated, tired, pissed and just _itching_ to shed blood.

_'This shit better be worth my time.'_

Sasuke had easily immobilized Kabuto with a genjutsu while Sakura, the monster, and the servant were tied with some machinery wires from the room.

Sasuke's sharingan spun, then stopped as the red faded from his pupils, returning to the usual onyx. He blinked once, then faced the impatient-looking Kisame.

"You were Itachi's partner."

Kisame scoffed.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Do you know of Madara? Uchiha Madara."

Kisame's face twisted in disgust.

"That manipulative bastard can go to hell for all I care."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes before he continued on.

"He told me some things... about Itachi."

Kisame sighed. So, the secret was out, and now it was his burden to straighten it out. Great.

"Ah, so the little brother wants to see if I have any juicy info to fill in the gaps?"

Sasuke stiffened, ignoring the mockery apparent in the shark-nin's voice.

"So you _do_ know something. Itachi confided in you. Tell me. _Everything_."

At this point Sasuke's permanent scowl was laced with a hint of desperation. He put on a mask of indifferent arrogance, but Kisame could smell the underlying anxiety. He smirked.

_'They really are brothers.'_

"I don't owe you anything, Uchiha. You kill your brother and then come to me for justification? Deal with that crap on your own."

Sasuke glared fiercely at the former Mist nin. He walked up and threateningly pointed his katana at Kisame's throat.

"What has Itachi told you about me, about Konoha? Why did he kill our clan? Tell me or I slice your head off."

Kisame chuckled darkly. He grabbed the sword blade with his hand and forcefully pushed it to the side, ignoring the resulting blood in his palm. Leaning in close to the dark-haired man, Kisame whispered dangerously.

"Don't act like such a pompous little prick in my presence kid, and I might consider."

Sasuke frowned in slight irritation, but he was interested enough to comply and put away his weapon, simultaneously waving his hand at the tense trio behind him.

Kisame gave Suigetsu a fiendish leer as he re-sheathed his blade. He just wanted to get this over with and feel the familiar weight of Samehada in his hand again. He cracked his shoulder and stretched his arms back to stimulate his muscles a bit, and coughed harshly at the strain. Yes, he wanted his chakra back more than anything.

"You don't know the shit I've fucking been through these past days," he said, moreso to himself before he proceeded to tell Sasuke about Madara.

He kept it relatively brief, telling him how deceiving and conniving the weasel was - the cause of Kisame's abandonment of Akatsuki. Sasuke had repeated the story Madara told him about Itachi and Konoha's orders to kill the Uchiha clan, parts of which Kisame then confirmed.

"Itachi only confided in me a couple of times. The last time he did was a few days before you killed him. He said if the Amaterasu he implemented in your Sharingan failed to kill Madara, he wanted me to do it - so that you wouldn't seek revenge on Konoha."

Kisame tried not to roll his eyes as he recalled that. Really the request was absurd, but Itachi had been desperate, in his own stoic way. Spending time with the guy made Kisame become in tune with his emotions somewhat, and it was the first time he sensed any hint of vulnerability from his late partner.

"Anyway, I figured it was pretty serious. If Itachi didn't trust the bastard then I wasn't going to either. I tried to find Madara - for my _own_ revenge, you know - but the guy is good at disappearing."

Sasuke still stood stiffly, wary of the information. Obviously, if Kisame knew about the Amaterasu, it meant Itachi had in fact told him these things. He waited for more.

"I couldn't find Madara, so after a while I just did my own thing," Kisame continued, hoping they wouldn't ask how he ended up here, "Anyway, if you're the least bit of a genius as your clan name suggests, you better stay away from Uchiha Madara - he just wants to use you."

Sasuke still looked unconvinced, and Kisame was getting tired of playing story time with Uchihas. This was not his responsibility.

"Well, whatever kid. I didn't know Itachi _that_ well, but I do know that your brother valued peace in Konoha and your safety above everything else."

The whole thing was a bit too righteous for Kisame, but Itachi's influence on him had - as much as he hated to admit - caused him to feel a kind of respect, if not admiration for having such strong values.

"I don't give a damn what you do, but I did respect your brother, so I feel like I owe him that much."

The dark-haired Uchiha looked slightly to the side, absorbing the information. Kisame was getting slightly antsy. This was dragging on far too long for his liking, and although he was doing Itachi a favor by giving Sasuke this information, he didn't really know why he should care. Continuing his stretching and joint cracking, Kisame waited for Sasuke to say something.

"We're leaving."

Kisame looked at the Uchiha, trying to read his mind.

_'Whatever, he's not my problem anymore.'_

Itachi had no reason to curse him from the afterlife if Sasuke still decided to act out and be Madara's pawn - Kisame did his part. He watched as Sasuke and his crew prepared to head out. As his eyes followed their retreating backs, he noticed the tied bundle of pink on the ground as they passed her.

"The girl - she's from your village, you might wanna take her or something," Kisame pointed out, suddenly a little off-put that he said anything at all.

Sasuke paused for a moment then spoke up coolly, "I don't know her."

Before they exited the room, Suigetsu craned his head back at Kisame, "I'll battle you for Samehada some other time Kisame-_senpai;_ maybe I just feel bad since I've been in the same situation as you. Although, really, you should watch your back a little more next time."

With that he snickered and quickly disappeared behind the wreckage of the door, following the rest of his team.

Kisame was unfazed. Suigetsu's were idle threats, anyway. He was highly out-classed by Kisame, so he would never actually try taking the precious Samehada away from him. And, speaking of which, Kisame grinned in anticipation. Quickly he pivoted around to face the still entranced Kabuto, who was on his knees, eyes rolled back, with his arms loosely dangling at the sides.

"Aw, no fun. I like seeing their facial expressions before they die."

Kisame strode over and made a hand sign, hoping that the genjutsu level was low enough for him to dispel.

_"Kai!"_

With a resounding snap, Kabuto blinked, jostled out of his inert state. Dazedly looking around for a clue as to what happened, his eyes finally met with bare feet. Large, blue feet which connected to navy blue cut-off pants.

"Welcome back, sweetie."

Kisame stood over the still-kneeling Kabuto with a triumphant smirk on his face, dragging his tongue across his sharp teeth to further intimidate the man. Kabuto nervously pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose to attempt composing himself.

"I assure you, if you-"

Kisame quickly grabbed the spectacled man by the collar of his shirt, interrupting his futile speech.

"I assure _you_, that I'm gonna make your life hell in the next few hours," Kisame growled, purposely emphasizing the word 'hours'.

The man tried to resist but it was pointless. Kisame restrained him promptly, then took his time with his captor, making sure not to give into his more bloodthirsty side and kill Kabuto prematurely. Alas, after a good two hours of torturing the man mercilessly, Kisame gave in and ended it. Kabuto - or rather what remained of him - was now unrecognizable. Kisame stepped back a bit marvelling at his handiwork.

_'Now _this_ is art.' _

He then glanced over at his sword still trapped in that giant test tube. He summoned a large amount of chakra to his fist and with one powerful strike shattered the thick glass, freeing his Samehada. A wave of clear liquid followed along with some beeping from nearby alarms, but Kisame ignored it all, too concerned with finally having his sword back. He wrapped his fingers gently around the handle and picked it up out of the glass debris. Completely un-bandaged, Kisame marvelled at the beauty of the bluish-purple scales which now almost breathed a sigh of relief, and wiggled a little in his grasp.

"Ah, good friend, we're reunited again."

Unfortunately, it seemed like the sword had been emptied of all chakra while it was encased in the tube, and with a sigh, Kisame realized he would have to recover the rest of his chakra the old-fashioned way.

He patted it reassuringly as he made his way around the room, searching for his other belongings, and realized that the weird servant and that disgusting abomination were still alive. Not wasting any more time, he pointed Samehada at them and tried to siphon what chakra he could from them. To his chagrin, there was barely anything to salvage, so he quickly ended their misery with a few swings of his newly retrieved sword, giving it a taste of fresh blood after so long.

Kisame glanced down at the strewn bits and pieces of flesh, and the pool of dark red blood as it expanded across the floor, making its way towards the body of the still knocked-out girl. He paused for a moment, considering stealing what little chakra she had, but his arm remained still at his side. The wires which bound her cut into her flesh, adding to the bruises she already had on her light skin. His eyes then travelled down to her bent legs, noticing her ankle was heavily swollen and bleeding.

The sight before him stirred something latent and long-forgotten from his memory, and before he could think Kisame bent down, untied, and plucked the girl off the floor. He walked over to the bed which he had previously occupied, and plopped her down in the middle of it rather ungracefully. He stood there a moment, at odds with himself as he tried to see her face under the hair which covered it. What was her name again? All he knew was that she was - apparently - some medic kunoichi from Konoha.

Sure, she _was_ charged with his demise, and _had_ actually inflicted quite a bit of pain on his person, but she did stop before the chakra transplant could go any further. He wasn't exactly sure why, but all Kisame knew was that he didn't really _need _to kill the girl; after all, she healed him up quite nicely and then there were those _touches_...

He stopped his thoughts before they went further. He was fine now, and that's all that mattered. Strong, merciless, uncaring, cruel - back to his usual self. There was no need to think further of things which transpired during the course of his incarceration here, and it was all better left in the past. The jutsus and other experimentations done to him during his stay had messed with his mind and he would not entertain those thoughts further.

But he _would_ at least let the girl live - _and_ not have to wake up next to two disgusting creatures in a pool of their blood, no less. Yes, he would do that. A _huge_ show of mercy. One _unprecedented_ by the likes of him.

"Better be grateful."

The alarm still continued its annoying ringing, and Kisame decided to hurry up and find his stuff so he could go. After digging around for a few minutes, he found his shirt, sandals and coat, but not his pouch which held some important things. He decided to ignore it and start dressing himself. He strapped Samehada into its holster and slung the hulking sword onto his back.

Alas, all the exertion was proving to be much, and suddenly Kisame doubled over, coughing up blood as he braced an arm against the wall.

_'Well, shit,' _he thought inwardly, watching the stark white tiles under him become dotted with spots of red as he tried to steady his raspy breathing.

_'If only I had more chakra,'_ he thought, mentally noting never to take such a luxury for granted ever again. Oh well, he would just have to wait.

As he stood back upright, another bout of harsh coughing interrupted his walk towards the door and this time a sharp, lancing pain shot through his chest. In his pain-addled state, Kisame realized he was probably going to tear his lungs to shreds at this rate, so he came up with an idea. Grimacing, he stumbled over to where the medic kunoichi lay on the bed unmoving and nudged her with an elbow. If he could just threaten her into healing him, he could get out of here in great shape.

"Kunoichi, wake up."

Even speaking was starting to become increasingly irritating to his throat and lungs and Kisame tried hard to not cough, fearing the pressure might rip him up even more.

The girl though, remained unmoving. She was laying in a fetal position on the bunched up sheets under her. Kisame continued prodding her in the sides but to no avail. After a few more minutes, he made a quick decision - he would take her with him_. __Once he was all healed up and regenerated, he would get rid of her. __Easy__._Once again, the man's body folded in on itself and he found himself painfully coughing again, the coppery taste of his own blood pervading his mouth. Not wanting to waste any more time, Kisame picked the girl up again and with a grunt slung her over his shoulder. The new weight threatened to cause another violent hacking session, but he used all his willpower to resist it.

He walked through the battered door and began searching for a way out of the labyrinth.

**.-.-.-.**

It took longer than expected to find his way out, but eventually Kisame emerged out of the darkness and into the outside world. It was dusk apparently, and he scanned the surroundings to figure out his location. The air was dry and cool and as he stepped out further, his sandaled feet gave a little to the soft ground - ah, _sand_. Rolling dunes of sand, with the occasional tumbleweed or formation of rocks.

_'Lovely.'_

Wind Country. This was the _worst_ possible place for him to be right now. With the state of his dehydration, he would shrivel up in such a harsh, dry climate given enough time. Usually, it wouldn't have been a problem if he had chakra, but unfortunately only a fraction of it had regenerated - not to mention the state of his body didn't warrant for any more exertion. He desperately needed to rest.

Kisame walked a few miles with the girl still hanging limp over his shoulder until he found a secluded-looking area surrounded by large rock formations. He closed his eyes in focus as he searched for any signs of people, and found that luckily it seemed the area was clear for now. He dropped the medic onto the dusty ground and fought a coughing fit as the offending particles hit his nose. Yes, this was _definitely_ going to be the bane of his existence, he concluded.

Kisame dropped down after a moment and propped his body against a rock slab across from the girl. He was so tired and sore and hurting that he suddenly felt regret at having killed Kabuto so quickly.

_'Fucking bastard. I'll get you again in the afterlife. Just wait,'_ he thought, the prospect giving him a bit of satisfaction.

Deciding to think about something else, Kisame turned his attention back to the pink mess before him. He grabbed a small rock off the ground and lobbed it at her, hitting her butt. She didn't react. Kisame threw several more at the kunoichi until he decided the method was ineffective.

"Oi," he said, trying to clear his throat so he could speak louder, "Wake up, girl."

A gust of wind whistled past loudly, and Kisame's arm shot up towards his face, shielding him from the onslaught of sand. Great, this positively _sucked_.

Frowning at her unresponsiveness, he decided to try a more drastic approach. Summoning all the energy he had left, Kisame made hand motions for a simple water-style jutsu and a stream of water shot from his mouth and at the girl. There wasn't much, and it was enough to almost drain him of his remaining chakra but the splash of cold water instantly awoke the sleeping girl. Kisame would have grinned toothily at the success, but unfortunately he was in a great deal of pain, _again_. He coughed, realizing that having pressurised water shoot from his throat was a pretty terrible idea considering his state.

Sakura was up with a shaky jolt and frantically whipping her head to the sides trying to figure out what was going on. She was soaked and looked even more pitiful now that the water made her hair flatten against her head and her body shake from the cold.

"S-_Sasuke_?"

Kisame observed her apprehensively. Sasuke? What the hell.

"You knew him?" he said.

Sakura's head snapped towards the voice. Upon seeing Kisame, her eyes widened in horror and she made an attempt to shriek but it was lost under a wobbly sound. Instantly, the girl scrambled for something to hold on to in order to get up, but her legs buckled under her as a stab of pain shot through her ankle.

"Ow, GOD!"

The kunoichi was on her butt, rocking back and forth clutching her swollen ankle and hissing in pain. She bit her lip hard and then promptly burst into tears. Kisame wanted to stab something.

"Hey! Shut the hell up!" he managed, his voice gravelly and not sounding as threatening as he would've liked.

She looked towards him with terror in her eyes, and just managed to raise her wailing to another octave. Kisame brought his hand to his forehead and decided a scare tactic was in order. He grabbed Samehada by the hilt and thrust it out, pointing it at her. Luckily - or perhaps _unluckily_ - the distance between them was exactly the length of the sword, so he didn't end up decapitating her in the process. Kisame made sure to keep control of Samehada so it wouldn't eat away the kunoichi's chakra, but he wasn't about to let the girl know about it.

Sakura's eyes widened even more at the sight of that very scaly, weird, breathing... thing staring at her an inch from her face. Her incessant crying stopped and she just sat, frozen in place until a voice jostled her out of her fright.

"I'm not gonna kill you," he slightly panted, finding it hard to speak fluidly, "if you're a good girl, that is."

She just stared at him bewildered, then swallowing hard, her eyes blinked a few times and her green orbs flickered to the sides, apparently planning something.

"You won't escape. No chance."

Again, the girl stilled, weighing her options. Her mind was a jumbled mess of things and nothing made sense except for the very loud pain in her foot. And the shark man's bit about not killing her, well, there was that too, but she was not about to take his word for it.

"What... where... _how_?" she breathed out, mainly talking to herself.

The concrete walls, the white tiles, the dank smell - it was all gone and she was so _confused_-

"I killed Kabuto, so you don't have to worry about him if that's what you're wondering about," Kisame offered after a while.

Killed? Kabuto? Sakura now looked more boldly from side to side trying to figure out where they were - Samehada still pointed at her face.

"We're in Wind Country is my guess. Lots of sand," he said, lowering the sword and setting it at his side.

Sakura said nothing, instead looked down at her injured ankle seemingly still trying to piece things together. She was still shivering and wet, the gravel and sand sticking to her skin, and the random gusts of wind certainly weren't aiding the situation. Kisame didn't know what else to say as the silence stretched on, but he really wanted his injuries taken care of.

"Do you have any chakra left?"

Her face was shielded from his eyes by her hair still.

"Why?" she asked, her voice shaky.

"'Cause I'm fucking wounded, that's why," he said impatiently. Dense girl.

Suddenly her head whipped around and the unexpected fierceness in her eyes startled him a bit.

"Well I am too you _jerk_!" she yelled out.

Kisame was too shocked to actually say anything in opposition, so he folded his arms across his chest, eyeing her with a frown.

"Fine, heal yourself first."

The girl scoffed, then pointed a finger at him.

"What makes you think I want to heal you anyway? You're just gonna kill me, or eat me or something!"

"What?"

Kisame noticed the way she shook, and sensed a familiar saltiness hit the air and he quickly tried to sway the conversation in a different direction.

"Look girl, I wouldn't have dragged your heavy ass through that maze of a dungeon for so long if all I wanted was some kunoichi steak."

Sakura looked at him in horror, and tried backing away. Kisame was confused. That was probably the most consoling thing he'd ever told _anyone_.

"Hey! Don't think about going anywhere, I have the upper hand here."

Sensing the roughness in his tone, Sakura kicked up some dusty gravel with her foot aiming straight at him. Kisame didn't cover his mouth fast enough and surely, inhaled a good portion of the stuff when it was too late. He coughed up a storm; the dust particles scraping his insides like tiny blades. Okay, maybe he _was_ going to kill her. Blood started to come back out of his mouth and dotted the ground. Preparing to go after the girl, Kisame used Samehada to brace himself and after a few seconds he almost felt like passing out. He'd be surprised if he even _had_ lungs if this kept going on for much longer.

Sakura was hobbling away awkwardly on one foot, while she listened to that horrible hacking behind her. She glanced back, noting how he couldn't even get up, and then she remembered the man in the cell, on the bed. How vulnerable he was then. And now that tear in his lung was probably back and she had probably not helped it any by commencing the chakra transplant, and then that guttural roar echoed in her mind and she planted her foot in the ground, stopping her escape. Pivoting, Sakura cursed under her breath at her stupid medical compassion or whatever the hell this _horribly_ guilt-ridden sense of responsibility was as she regretfully hopped back, tossing her last chance of escape out the window.

Sakura stood in front of him, hand on her knee, as it dawned on her that her little sand-kicking stunt just now might have pissed him off irreversibly and that she should _probably_ not be standing here because he was totally going to lash out and kill her where she stood. On one foot, no less. Instead, her stupid mouth decided it was more important than the fear response, so she remained standing and spoke.

"Why did you take me with you?"

Kisame didn't respond, but just sat hunched over, Samehada stabbed into the ground holding him up like a crutch. His chest rose and fell very inconsistently, as if he were mechanically trying to slow his breathing. Sakura got sick of looking at him like that and inched a tiny bit closer.

"Ugh, okay, I'll heal you - _if_ you let me go after."

He chuckled grimly behind sealed lips.

"That... was a bitch move," he said, throwing his head back against the rock behind him.

Sakura sniffed dismissively, eyeing his exposed throat.

"Yeah, well... you shouldn't have pointed that stupid sword at me," she said, feeling the tiniest pang of remorse. _Tiniest_.

She then hesitantly inched closer to the man, feeling that stupid pull again, and as if sensing her nervousness, Kisame raised his hands in a sign of peace, and brought Samehada to rest on the other side since it scared her so much apparently.

Sakura gazed at him warily, but eventually sat down - gently this time, so not to stir up another dust cloud in the process. Kisame winced, bringing his head forward, because clearly he was being an idiot by exposing his throat to an enemy, regardless of how unskilled she was.

"Lean back," she ordered, and watched as he pushed himself away from the rock a bit and settled into a more reclining pose.

His eyes were on her like a hawk lest she try something, but instead he noticed her rubbing her arms as another gust of wind passed through the makeshift campsite.

"_Goddamnit_," Kisame rasped, frustrated.

With some effort, he shrugged off his coat and tossed it in Sakura's lap.

"Put it on."

Sakura spent a few seconds looking at the black mass with the red clouds on it before deciding to drape herself in it. The warmth immediately engulfed her and she just wanted to fall asleep and forget about what was happening and the political correctness of it all. Another one of Kisame's coughs distracted her from her thoughts and she put her hand on his chest, noticing now that he was wearing a mesh-covered shirt.

"Don't think of trying any bullshit - or Samehada here will rip you to shreds," he warned, patting his sword.

Sakura looked at his face then at the sword and gulped, nodding her head in accordance.

Her chakra met with his skin and Kisame closed his eyes, silently revelling in the sheer familiarity of it all. It was so strange that after such intense pain, he could feel this sort of relief. He allowed himself a few more moments of relaxation under the soothing hum, then cracked his eyes open again. Even though the night caused the darkness to envelop them, the green glow of the girl's chakra illuminated the space in between them allowing him to watch the proceedings. Green light melded with the gray-blue of his skin and disappeared further in, while new waves of chakra followed suit, stitching him back together with each pulse. Sensing no immediate threat from the girl, he closed his eyes again, indulging in the warmth of her healing.

"Your lungs are pretty damaged," she murmured.

"No shit," he said from between clenched teeth.

She didn't respond and he felt slightly bad at his rude remark. _Very_ slightly.

"So... how bad is it then?" he asked.

The girl took a moment before she spoke, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. Her voice was now soft.

"Both are torn in several places, and it continues through your esophagus. You're severely dehydrated."

"Makes sense."

Silence overcame the two as they became lost within their own respective thoughts. Sakura tried not to think at all, instead focused all of her energy on healing the shark-man... again. She wondered if she'd ever have the chance to heal a normal person ever again. She tried not to think any further lest her mind dig into recent events which she'd rather forget forever.

"I'm tired."

Kisame was roused from his mental musings at the girl's voice. He had been enjoying her chakra-induced healing a bit too much apparently, because he was caught off guard when she spoke. He shifted a bit and inhaled deeply, testing out his lungs. There was a slight hitch, but overall, he felt much better. Unsure of what to say he just nodded at her stiffly.

Sakura brushed her hands awkwardly against his chest and put them in her lap, making a move to go back to her original spot a few feet away from him. It was dark and he could barely make out the outline of her body, faintly backlit by the moon in the distance. A familiar green aura once again lit up from where she sat.

_'Oh, the ankle.'_

"You're free to go, kunoichi," Kisame spoke, aware of the clarity of his voice.

He heard the faint rustle of his coat's fabric from her position as she shifted, green glow unwavering. Sakura said nothing.

Kisame picked Samehada off of the floor and thrust it into the ground next to him. He leaned back against the rock and prepared to rest. He listened for the scrambling of feet in the distance, but they went unheard.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guysss... I hope you liked this chapter as much as I did :D I'm hoping the events aren't too confusing for people, like the whole Sasuke/ Madara situation. Unlike the anime, Sasuke basically goes to Kisame for confirmation/extra info after Madara tells him Itachi's story. So yeah if anyone has questions about the plot and how much I like to fuck with it, let me know lol. Oh, also, since I'm pretty unobservant sometimes, I forgot that Sasuke's Taka group was composed of FOUR people, not THREE, so I had to change some stuff in the last chapter to make it make sense- so if you read back and were confused at the sudden change from 3 to 4, now you know why.

I also hope I'm making both Sakura and Kisame in character, since it's one of my biggest pet peeves to read my favourite characters totally OOC - especially the Akatsuki.

Anyway, enjoy this one and thanks again for your sexy reviews *heart*

EDIT: sorry for fucking up the chapter upload earlier!


	12. Chapter 12

Dawn broke through the darkness of the arid landscape, illuminating everything in a rosy pink. Kisame cracked open his eyes at the light and quickly made note of his surroundings. _Right_, he was finally free of that freaky mad scientist's lab. Noticing Samehada next to him, a wide grin spread across his face - today he would go shake the cobwebs from his beloved sword. Maybe if he was lucky, one of the Suna village shinobi would cross his path, and he'd get to dispose of them.

Rubbing his eyes he stood up, rather enthusiastic at the prospect of bloodshed. Fully awake and alert, he saw a black shape from the periphery of his vision; it was his Akatsuki issue coat, draped neatly over a boulder. After a moment of confusion, he remembered the young girl who had worn it the night before, and looking around, he noticed she was gone - a disturbed patch of ground the only reminder of her ever being there. Kisame paused for a moment looking at it, then walked over to the boulder and put his coat on. It smelled like her - not overly so, but still pleasantly recognizable. Kisame automatically inhaled deeper to catch more of the scent, not knowing why it pleased him at all.

_'Probably just my rejuvenated lungs enjoying working again,'_ he thought absently and proceeded to stretch out his rigid muscles.

Then he decided to test his chakra to gauge how much had regenerated during his rest. Feeling the chakra run its course through his system, Kisame revelled in the feeling then drew it outward to his hands. Instantly, the blue glow blazed and chakra whirled out rapidly with renewed energy. It wasn't fully generated - about eighty percent, he guessed - but it was still infinitely more than most people had, since his chakra capacity was up to par with tailed-beasts. Also, the pain from his lungs was almost gone, but eventually with time his chakra would fully mend him anyway.

Snapping Samehada into its holster once more, he was ready to head out. The sun was already blazing and causing heat to ripple in the air, blurring the horizon-line in the distance. There was no wind this time, and barely any sound, save for the occasional squawk of a bird flying overhead. Kisame was starting to feel sweat rise to the surface of his skin and then decided that priority number one was to get out of the desert - it was seriously cramping his style.

_'I need a swim.'_

_Yes_. A long, vigorous swim in deep waters somewhere so he could get the stench of the past days off of him. Not wanting to think further about his ordeal under Kabuto's imprisonment, Kisame came to the decision that he would head somewhere nice and damp. Leaping over some rocks, the shark-man made his way east.

.-.-.-.

Sakura was, once again, at a loss. This time, her predicament was truly the most pathetic since her capture however many days ago. She was lost. Lost and wandering aimlessly through a dry desert landscape which couldn't _possibly_ get any hotter, she deduced.

The previous night, Sakura spent a few hours resting across from the former Mist-nin, feeling uneasy but still relatively safe considering he hadn't made any move to devour her before that. She was on guard for most of the night, closing her eyes but never allowing herself the luxury of full sleep in such dangerous company - even though he _had_ somewhat rescued her. And given her his coat.

"_Ha!_"

Sakura had to laugh out loud at that one. _Clearly,_ he just needed a personal nurse to fix him up and once again she felt used. Not that it mattered, of course; the guy was a criminal after all, and she should be happy that she was only being used medically as opposed to something far worse.

And finally, after playing compliant kunoichi nurse to freaks for the past few days, she was free. Initially, Sakura found it extremely hard to believe that the shark-man actually let her go like that - no strings attached. But, here she was, stumbling through the desert like the complete failure of a shinobi that she thought she was, wondering if he did it on purpose to make her suffer just that much more before the environment finally killed her. Everything was going just peachy. Sakura roamed for hours hoping that eventually she would bump into a Suna nin who would whisk her away to his village where she could then contact Konoha, but after ten hours of disoriented stumbling, it became apparent the chance of such a miracle happening was getting close to zero.

Now Sakura's only worry was not getting home, but more like getting a drink of water. She was thoroughly parched and her medical self shouted incessantly at her irresponsibility. After a while she allowed herself to admit that yes, she should have at least asked the shark-man for directions before sneaking away just before daybreak.

_'Or for another stupid Suiton jutsu to quench my thirst.'_

And yes, she was _that_ desperate.

The scorching heat made her sweat so much that Sakura stopped bothering to wipe the new accumulation off her brow each time, instead letting it stream down her face unpleasantly. Her hair was still tied up in a ponytail but it was dirty and dishevelled from the past day's events. She wasn't even able to properly heal her ankle because her chakra was spent, so it further hindered her ability to walk. All in all her day was getting worse by the minute and at this rate Sakura felt doomed. After a few moments more of futile wandering, she plopped down in the shadow of a sand dune to rest.

For the first time since being free from Kabuto's hold, Sakura let herself think about what happened there.

Thinking to the night before, she remembered the Mist nin's words in the darkness of the night.

_'He killed Kabuto...'_ Sakura thought warily.

So, he was dead - or so she was led to believe anyway. Sakura pursed her lips in confusion as she tried to think back. How? The last thing she remembered was that agonizing, soul-shattering roar as she began to suck out the shark man's chakra, and she rubbed her arms, feeling her hairs stand on end as she recalled it. In retrospect, Sakura realized how reckless it was of her to stop, because frankly, she should be dead right now. That mutated monster thing should probably be digesting her remains by now or something because that was the end result of her sabotaging the transplant, right? But... Sakura clenched her teeth in anger, as she rubbed her swollen ankle; the thing _did_ come after her - after all, she had the injury to remind her. And then at some point she blacked out and...

_'Blacked out..?'_

Right, she had passed out sometime after seeing Sasuke.

_'Sasuke...'_

The gravity of what happened suddenly hit her. Her former friend, crush, teammate, had abandoned her. He ignored her like she wasn't even there - like they never shared a history. Different explanations whirled around her brain frantically, trying to give reason as to why he would be so cold. Maybe he hadn't seen her? Maybe she had changed so much, he hadn't recognized her? Maybe Kabuto engineered some weird genjutsu to make her invisible to him? These thoughts gave her little solace, because subconsciously she knew the dark reality of it - Sasuke just didn't _care_.

It wasn't like she was still the naive little twelve year old of those days, pining after a boy who wouldn't return her childish attentions. No - she had eventually moved past thinking of Sasuke as a possible love interest after some time, realizing he wasn't coming back. Even though a part of her still entertained the thought every once in a while, reality never ceased to remind her of its existence. Instead, she cared deeply for him much the same way she cared about Naruto and that sense of devotion was simply impossible to break. As much as she hoped becoming a medic would make her less sensitive, it proved to have little effect when it came to things like this. Feeling utterly depressed now, Sakura sat, her legs outstretched before her. She watched as sweat drops from her forehead consistently fell and made dark dots appear on the dull maroon of her skirt, remembering the many times before when the spots consisted of tears, not sweat. Sakura couldn't shed any more tears though. It was trivial; Sasuke's complete rejection was just so hurtful and inhumane, that tears were seemed like an inappropriate response.

Pushing the dark thoughts of Sasuke out of her mind, Sakura's mind drifted to those who actually did care. Naruto. Kakashi. Sai. Where was Konoha? How had she been missing for all this time and nobody came to the rescue? Sakura allowed herself to note the irony of having an Akatsuki member rescue her, no matter the circumstances. Well, maybe Konoha _was_ looking for her, she thought. Or maybe they were still under the impression that she was still on her mission - one which was now most likely a fake, devised by Kabuto to bait and capture her.

Sighing, Sakura just wanted to lie back and drift out of consciousness. Instead, her medical side took that moment to remind her that she was showing obvious signs of clinical depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms.

_'How pathetic. A few days in captivity and I already have mental problems?' _

With resolve, the kunoichi forced herself up, ignoring the protest of her overworked muscles. She stood up, placed her hands on her hips and breathed in deep.

"I _will_ get out of this alive. I _can_ find my way back home."

Forcing an enthusiastic tone, she hoped that it would drill the mantra into her head and make her really believe it, but unfortunately the tightness of her parched throat and cracked lips brought her back to reality.

_'I _will_ die a sad, inglorious death from dehydration.'_

Sighing again, Sakura dusted herself off and forced herself to keep going. She mentally sought out the Wind Country map and tried remembering which direction the coastline was. Unfortunately geography was never her strongpoint and besides, she had a poor sense of direction anyway. Not wanting to give in to defeat either way, Sakura continued on in a random direction hoping it would lead her to a body of water, at least.

.-.-.-.

Kisame was two hours into his journey towards River Country when he felt a light breeze pass by, carrying on it a faint scent unlike the usual desert ones.

_'Hmm, interesting,'_ he thought, closing his eyes as he inhaled.

He stood for a moment, having picked up on the familiar scent of the pink-haired girl which had faded from his coat earlier. At odds with himself, something in him finally decided to investigate further - that is, in case he needed an extra healing or something. After a moment, Kisame pivoted on his foot and headed off-course in the direction of the smell. Passing over the endless rolling dunes, it didn't take long before he came across a small, dusty figure lying face down in the sand; probably overcome with fatigue. Looming above the corpse-like body, Kisame toed her in the side gauging her responsiveness. A near-silent moan came in response - the only indication that the girl wasn't actually dead. Well _good_, she wasn't fully knocked out, he thought, and leaving her here would be the best course of action. As his mind procured various thoughts, he continued looking upon her form. Her arms were against her sides, hands rough, and fingernails worn and dirty from sand. Judging by the colour on her exposed skin, Kisame figured she had been out in the open for a very long time.

He almost rolled his eyes at the absurdity of this girl; she was so careless. Without giving it any particular thought, he bent down and picked her up, once again slinging her over his shoulder and making sure to carry Samehada in his hand. Dying from heat exhaustion was just _not_ fitting for any respectful shinobi and he would at least spare her from that humiliation. He owed her for healing him... or something. Satisfied with that reason, Kisame resumed his journey towards more vegetative land, now with the added load of kunoichi slung over his shoulder.

.-.-.-.

Sakura awoke with a pounding headache. It was so severe, that her head felt like it was bouncing and hitting something firm in a rhythmic manner. She opened her eyes when the sensation didn't subside, but her vision was just a blur of beige and taupe.

_'What..?'_

Her eyes widened when she saw the flapping of black fabric. Great, she was kidnapped by the Akatsuki. Sakura balled her hands into weak fists and began attacking the back of her captor, her chakra flaring to life in an attempt to damage, but then fizzled out. She felt that drained limpness ebb through her as chakra-depletion made itself known again, but she was not about to get kidnapped for a second time. She mustered one more punch and tried her best to yell.

"Let me _go_!"

To Sakura's deep chagrin, her voice just cracked feebly and her blood-drained arms limply thudded instead of punched the offender's back. Suddenly, her captor stopped moving and promptly dropped her as per request.

Sakura landed on her injured ankle and angrily fisted her hands in the yielding sand beneath her. She then whipped around, proceeding to curse at her captor and his cruelty, but paused for a moment as the sight of that grey-blue skin met her eyes. She had not expected to see the shark-man again, and she was deeply confused about current goings-on, but the fact was that she was just unceremoniously dropped like a sack of rice and her ankle freaking _hurt_. The fire returned to her eyes as she pointed an accusatory finger upwards.

"_You_! What the hell is wrong with you?" she managed, scowling at his tall form as it cast a shadow over her hunched figure.

"Well, princess, you asked for it," he said, completely unamused.

"Well next time I'd like a warning, jerk!"

Sakura was rubbing her ankle feverishly now, mad at both the injury to her physical person and her pride. Kisame looked down at her; she was a real mess, this one. So why did he bother, again? Her skin, clothes and hair were covered in sand and dusty debris, making her look more like an unearthed potato rather than a shinobi, and her sunburnt, sweat-streaked face betrayed any seriousness in her angry face. It was all kind of humorous for the man, and Kisame tried hard not to grin.

"You should be thanking me kunoichi."

"Oh yeah? For what exactly?"

"For getting your ass out of the grave you dug yourself."

Hoping the man was speaking in metaphor, Sakura just glared at him defiantly and continued to protest.

"I was doing fine on my own, I'll have you know."

"Mmm. Passed out face-down in the sand. I commend you on your survival skills."

"I was _resting_."

"I'm sure."

Silence stretched on for a few seconds as Kisame watched the girl do more damage than good to her ankle by rubbing it so vigorously. She was nervous.

"Where did you plan on taking me anyway?" Sakura said with an irritated, accusatory tone, her voice cracking.

The man looming above her just stared, slightly frowning as if she asked a particularly vexing question. He really hadn't considered that part.

"I'm headed towards River," Kisame responded, avoiding answering her question directly.

"Well, good for you."

"Feh. Obviously you're capable of handling yourself; I'll be on my way then."

Kisame turned around and continued walking, leaving behind the dusty heap of Sakura where he had dropped her. After a few paces, he heard a soft, hesitant voice pipe up behind him.

"H-_hey_! I was headed there too, you know."

He turned and with a small feeling of pride at the success of his reverse psychology, he responded.

"You were facing the opposite way when I found you, but if you _insist_, you can come with me."

_'Ugh! Since when are creepy shark men so observant?'_

Sakura turned redder than she already was, but scrambled clumsily to her feet preparing to follow the tall man ahead of her. If he was intent on using her as a personal healer or whatever, she would return the favor and use him as a personal compass. Leaving dust-clouds in her wake, Sakura followed, trying desperately hard to ignore the sharp throbbing in her ankle as she walked - her pride was damaged enough as it was.

Kisame continued on unbothered by his new travelling companion. She was lagging behind him considerably, but he preferred it that way - at least he didn't have to deal with carrying her anymore.

_'Exactly.'_

_And_ he did not feel any amount of guilt at having dropped her on her ankle, which she was now half-dragging like a cripple somewhere behind him.

_'Not at all.' _

He resisted the urge to peer over his shoulder to observe her.

_'Strange girl.'_

They walked for an hour in silence until she finally decided to speak.

"Uhh..."

Kisame ignored her until she could articulate herself more clearly.

"How much longer until we get to Water Country?"

"River Country you mean..."

"Yes. _River_. How much longer?"

"Probably a good five to six hours. I'm not sensing any shift in climate."

"But it's almost night time..."

"Good observation, kunoichi."

"Hey - no need to be a jerk, I was just wondering. We're travelling through the night?"

"...Unless you have a better idea?"

"Well, no- I mean... I'm just getting kind of tired."

He knew this. She was really pushing herself to walk all this way without stopping or complaining. At least she had pride, and he was willing to admit he sort of admired it.

"I didn't think you'd want to spend the night with someone like me," Kisame chuckled, teasing her.

"You're an ass."

"No - last time I checked I was a shark."

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Lame."

"Coming from the girl who can barely walk?" he added, grinning.

Sakura was getting quite pissed at this trivial man. So cocky.

"Hey, not my fault; I spent all my chakra healing you, remember?"

She said it more solemnly than she intended because of the shame which was once again creeping back. The shame of the reality that the night before, she could have escaped him in his weakened state - perhaps even killed him - but instead, she went back and used the remainder of her chakra on him. And for what? Because of the guilt?

Here she was trekking across foreign land with a man who she was supposed to have killed just recently. And to top it off, he of all people was the one who got her out of that prison. At that, Sakura remembered her words to a doomed man: _'You're my ticket out of this hole.'_

He sure lived up to that, albeit not the way she thought.

And not once did he even mention how she had inflicted pain and nearly killed him back at the lab. Even though she didn't finish the task, he should still feel _some_ animosity towards her, right?

_'Then again, he probably still intends to put me to good use'_, she thought, _'No, if anything _I'm_ the one needing a freaking medic here.' _

Quickly, Sakura blotted out the memories from that horrible laboratory lest her emotions get in the way of her survival again. More importantly, her muscles were screaming at her, she was so damn tired, and _beyond_ thirsty. Sakura inwardly imagined herself sucking the water from a lake dry, but she was brought out of her fantasy when the shark-man spoke again.

"How's your injury?"

_'Ha. He's being considerate now?'_

"Just peachy, you know, since it's _injured_ and all."

"Keh. No need for sarcasm, girl. I'll carry you then."

"Um, _no_."

"Suit yourself."

Sakura frowned; he really was a 'no-bullshit' kind of guy. Well, not like she _wanted_ to be carried anyway. Taking one look at him she took in his otherworldly features. He was much taller than her, or most men she knew for that matter. And he had those intense, predatory orbs and sharp teeth. Of course, then there was also that nagging Akatsuki affiliation. He was a _criminal_, for god's sake. Sakura was starting to feel uneasy again at that reminder, dismayed at how easily she forgot about their enemy relationship in the midst of their relatively peaceful coexistence. She eyed his now-retreating back sceptically.

"If you get lost again, I'm not searching for your body," he said with a shrug, walking on.

His voice was distant and Sakura realized she was standing and staring at his form - getting smaller and smaller in the distance - lost in her own conflicting thoughts. She steeled her resolve, deciding she was doing this for her own interests - survival. Once again, she was in a tough, morally-challenging situation with the enemy, but she also knew her priorities.

_'Except this time, I'm free to go whenever I want...'_

Admitting it to herself, Sakura realized how weak she was. Instead of being an honorable shinobi - fighting and dying in the field of duty - she was allowing herself to be led around by an Akatsuki member_. _Where was all that pride and honor that was drilled into her all those years?

_'That's why nobody will ever know about this,'_ Sakura thought, once again shaking the rational thoughts from her mind and resumed walking.

_'As soon as I'm back in Konoha, we're enemies again.'_

As they walked on, Sakura found it hard to keep up with the shark-man's pace even though it was a regular saunter. She was always about fifteen meters away from him and couldn't close the gap as hard as she tried. It was a safe distance from him - which was good - but unfortunately made her look weak and incapable. But try as she might, her body was in so much agony that all the exertion was finally getting to her and she dragged even further behind. The sky was darker now, and the temperature considerably cooler, offering slight repose from the scorching heat from earlier in the day. Sakura decided after this, she would avoid doing any missions in Suna; frankly, she had seen enough sand to last her the rest of her life. Shuddering, she trudged on thinking of iced tea and showers and drinking entire lakes-

Something almost winded her and before she knew it, she was once more staring at black fabric and the heels of shinobi sandals coming in and out of view. As the blood rushed to her head from the new position, Sakura realized she was being carried like a sack of potatoes by the likes of Kisame.

'_Great. Caught off guard. Again. Konoha rejoice! Your reputation is decreasing by the minute.' _

Sakura sighed inwardly, disappointed at her accumulation of failures. Betraying her inner angst at the whole situation, her muscles sighed in relief at not having to exert themselves any more by walking. Nonetheless, she wasn't about to be a compliant sack of potatoes either.

"Again, thanks for the warning," she said flatly, watching the black robe fluttering as he walked.

"No problem."

"_Yes_ problem! You don't just grab-"

"If you wanna walk, then I'm leaving you to it. Otherwise, I intend to get to my destination as soon as possible. Complaints?"

Sakura shut up. She knew it was essentially a favor he was doing her, and she would not look a gift horse in the mouth - for now. Eventually she'd be home, and this was only speeding it up. And on the bright side, at least she wasn't sharing back-space with a creepy, sentient sword; Kisame had the decency to hold it, apparently. At the thought of Samehada, Sakura tried imagining the sword dragging across the ground eating up any gophers or scorpions that got in its way. Trying not to visualize any further for fear of it being true, she focused instead on gauging how much chakra she had regenerated. She shifted a little, trying to get comfortable on the hard shoulder her ribcage rested on, and then stuck her arms out in front of her. A weak green glow fluttered out from her hands, and after a few seconds disappeared as that fatigue came over her once more. Sakura had barely enough to even heal a common bruise and it looked like she had to bear with her ankle pain for a while longer.

"Your scent changes when you use chakra," came a deep, murmuring voice from behind her.

"Uh, what?"

"Mold your chakra again."

Sakura molded a tiny amount of chakra to her fingertips, curious about what the man was talking about.

"Yeah. It's different."

Sakura didn't know what to say.

"Well, it's not a bad scent or anything, is it?" she asked, then laughed a little nervously.

_'Well this is awkward.' _

"No," he said after a pause.

Despite how strange the comment was, Sakura felt a bit self-conscious at the implication. So, the guy had a heightened sense of smell, which meant that at the moment, she probably smelled like a dumpster. Sakura shifted uncomfortably, stretching her neck a bit to sniff her underarms but unfortunately, she couldn't tell the difference between that area and the rest of her; she just desperately needed to shower. Sakura changed the subject to divert his attention from smelling her any further.

"Uhh... so you're like a shark beast?" _Smooth_.

"Beast?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking."

"I'm not a jinchuriki, if that's what you mean."

"Oh..."

Sakura knew that, but didn't know what else to say for fear of offending him.

"Well you have a lot of chakra for a non-jinchuriki," she commented.

Kisame smirked. Was she aware of the ego-stroking she just provided him with?

"I'm not even at full capacity."

Sakura rolled her eyes, _'Pompous.'_

"Anyway," he continued, "to answer your earlier question, yes I have shark genes."

"Hereditary?" Medic Sakura was intrigued.

"No. I don't wanna tell you too much, but I'm the result of experimentation."

Kisame inwardly kicked himself. This was already too much to divulge - to a random girl no less. It seemed this kunoichi was quite adept at messing with his usual resolve. He changed the subject.

"There's shelter in the distance, we'll stop there for now."

She was busy formulating strings of questions at the man's earlier comment but then he interrupted her. He was an experiment? She had so many questions though! How could he pique her interest like that and then leave her hanging? Disappointed, Sakura remained silent until the man carrying her stopped. He grabbed her by the waist and set her on her feet - a nice change from outright dropping her. She promptly dusted herself off, and took in the surroundings. They were in the valley of a rocky canyon, but otherwise it was the same landscape of sand and rock - well, save for the odd patch of grass breaking up the usual formula. Sakura looked hungrily at the meager stalks, consulting her mental database on botany as she tried to identify them.

Kisame had already seated himself against the base of the cliff and watched as the girl ripped out the sparse plant stalks, intensely observing them.

"Encelia farinosa..?" she murmured to herself, sniffing the brittle plant.

"What?"

"Or was it from the _Eremothamnus_..."

Kisame just observed her, mildly interested at the foreign words she employed. Then she bit down on one of the stalks, chewing.

"Ugh!"

With a grimace, the girl spat out the plant, throwing the rest to the side in frustration.

"I forgot that edible doesn't mean palatable," she said, and sighed despairingly at the misfortune of it all.

_'Where the hell are all the freaking cactuses at, anyway?'_ the girl wondered, wishing for anything to take away the dryness in her mouth.

Sakura then walked over a few paces, brushed the debris off of a rock and sat on it, facing away from the man who was situated a couple of feet away from her. Propping her elbows into her thighs and bracing her chin on her hands, she looked off into the darkness of the cold night. Kisame looked at her back from his spot. Weird girl. Was she avoiding him? He just wanted to start sleeping, but for some reason something plagued him. Could he even trust her not to try and kill him in his slumber? He remembered how she came back to help him the other night, and realized the girl probably didn't have it in her. Still, he itched to say something to her, but he didn't even know what.

"Why did Sasuke come looking for you?" she suddenly said, breaking the stretch of silence. Her voice sounded different from before.

Kisame settled his eyes on her back, watching as the pink hair lifted ever so slightly as the breeze wafted through. He wondered if he should ignore her question, but then decided not to.

"Because of Itachi," he said flatly, gauging her reaction to the name.

Kisame saw her tense.

"He was... your partner," she said, suddenly remembering the detail, and trying not to think about the fact that Sasuke really didn't come for her.

"Yeah, he was," Kisame responded.

He watched as the girl's head dipped down lower, and imagined her chin resting on her knees.

"He did a terrible thing..." Sakura whispered, voice cracking as she remembered the night of the Uchiha massacre.

Kisame felt the accusation, as if he could see what the girl was imagining as he spoke of his former partner. Oddly, a sense of defensiveness arose in him. He hated thinking about Itachi now that he was dead, but he also hated lies and naivety more. What lie did the girl know about his former partner? The shark-man let out a small sigh remembering things long past - and not _just_ Itachi's past.

_'What a terrible life...'_ the words echoed in his mind, shaking out other hidden memories with it, and he quickly swept them back into the corners.

"Sometimes, there's more to people than you'd think," Kisame murmured, deep in thought, as if talking to nobody in particular.

Sakura lowered her eyes and pressed her elbows harder into her lap, mind flooding with thoughts. The air was silent and still, but loaded with unvoiced words. She mulled his words over in her mind, not really sure what he meant, but also too hesitant to ask. After a few moments Sakura spoke again.

"Why didn't you leave me after you killed Kabuto?"

This time, her words were sharp and crisp in the cold night's air, and Kisame absently touched the raised skin around his wrists, tracing the scarred lines which came to a circle around his bruised skin. Now she was asking dangerous questions.

"I don't know," he responded, facing away from the girl's back. Inwardly, he wished he could have come up with a more formidable answer, but he had none - none he wished to voice anyway.

Sakura felt something stir within her at the man's voice. That sardonic taunting from earlier wasn't how he spoke now. Instead, he seemed... strangely exposed, she thought, kind of like when...

She winced a little, remembering the horrible things she thought about the man back in confinement. She wasn't going to like him, but she wouldn't hate him either. Sakura got up from the rock she sat on and brushed some gravel on the floor to the side, preparing to sleep. After a moment, a fluttering sound and then a soft thud resonated in the stark silence of the desert, and Sakura saw a familiar black mass sprawled across a boulder next to her. She picked up the Akatsuki coat and mechanically draped herself in it.

"Thanks... Ki-?"

"Kisame."

"Right."

"Yours was a flower name or something-"

"Sakura."

"Ah. Well, see ya in the morning then."

Both shinobi were tired but neither was able to sleep for a while. It seemed something that was said sparked a change of atmosphere, and time stretched on in companionable silence, while minds continued to speak in solitude.

Sakura curled up on the floor raising the collar of Kisame's coat to shield her face from the cold. His earlier words still resonated through her mind as things unravelled and revealed themselves to her. _Sometimes there's more to people than you'd think_... she repeated, flickering her jade eyes towards the seated form of the man nearby. Funny, she thought, how things never turned out the way they were supposed to. Funny, how friends turn their backs on one another, and enemies offer theirs. Funny, how sometimes those yearning for death end up saving another's life.

Funny, how sad it all really was.

* * *

"It is physically exhausting to look on unnamed country. A name is the magic to keep it within the horizons. Put a name to it, put it on a map, and you've got it. The unnamed - it is the darkness unveiled." _Howard O'Hagan_

* * *

I thought I'd leave you guys with that passage as something to think about in the context of Kisame and Sakura's conversation.

I love dialogue, in case you guys can't tell. And. Sentence. Fragments. I hope it's not boring/confusing though. Let me know either way, and sorry for the chapter upload fuck-up last time. Hopefully I won't do such a thing again :P

Oh and as another note, I hate when things progress too quickly in stories - _especially_ when the pairing is good guy + bad guy. Sakura would _never_ just jump into Kisame's (or any Akatsuki member's) arms being all "I LOVE YOU BABY, LET'S SEX" so I intend to drag this out so their cute little emotions can develop further.

Until next time!


	13. Chapter 13

Kisame didn't sleep that night- his warring thoughts preventing him from getting any rest. This Sakura girl was an enigma. She was causing a change in his resolute character and he was confused. Kisame was never courteous, never approachable, nor talkative. On top of that he had given her his precious coat the second time in a row and was beginning to seriously question his sanity.

_'Well, the coat is actually kind of bulky. And it itches.'_

Either way, he made conversation with her. He told her private things.

_'Well, nothing that wasn't in the Bingo Books anyway.'_

He sighed. Kisame felt strange, like he was living in a different skin- almost like that time when he was shackled to the wall in the cell. He hated to think back to how vulnerable and weak he was then, but unfortunately here was a girl who could testify to it. He couldn't sweep it up under the rug because _she_ would be a constant reminder of their mutual ordeals. He desperately wanted to forget about that sickening feeling of weakness- being unable to move, unable to do anything. His life could very well have ended that moment when he uttered those words- _kill me_. But here he was, alive because the girl had denied him mercy, and then once more after, when she sabotaged the transplant. Whatever her reasons were for doing that, he allowed himself to feel grateful. After all, it was the reason he took her with him when he escaped.

But in that case, his duty was fulfilled. A life for a life. It was done. He could have dropped her off somewhere near Suna, where she could be escorted home by Konoha's allies.

But...

Something _else_ was there, something he couldn't quite rationalize. He kept her around and was comfortable with it. And that was exactly why he felt so disconcerted. It shouldn't be comfortable or pleasant or anything. They were mutual enemies. He had harmed people from her village, and she had orders to kill members of Akatsuki. She _was_ ready to kill him, once.

But she didn't.

Sighing again, Kisame searched for justification. This odd feeling just wouldn't let up. He looked at his sword on the floor, still unbandaged, still covered in traces of blood.

_'Yes.'_

Grabbing Samehada, he got up quietly so not to disturb the object of his mental unease, and propelled himself up the cliff wall. If he couldn't kill her, he'd kill something else. Kisame hadn't battled in a while and it was causing him to lose his edge, he decided. Hopefully after indulging in some blood-laden therapy, he would be back to normal again.

He paused, searching the air for a hint of human scent. Unfortunately, deserts were rather uninhabitable and didn't harbor many people, so Kisame continued northwards in the direction of Suna. Eventually, he caught a faint scent somewhere in the distance. _'Must be patrol guards.'_

Speeding up, he leapt towards his victim. In minutes, he stood in front of a shinobi who was wearing the Suna-issue garb and Kisame grinned. The jonin-level man looked upon his new enemy in fear and didn't have much time to speak as he clumsily withdrew a kunai launching it haphazardly at the approaching shark-man. In turn, Kisame taunted him a bit, hoping to provoke at least some semblance of a fight. After all, it always sucked having to do all the work.

Once the Suna man saw that there was a blatant opening, he decided to use an actual technique. Unfortunately, Kisame was disappointed when a standard Katon jutsu was launched at him. Barely trying, he moved out of the way of the incoming fireball. With a sigh he decided to end this pitiful charade. _'Must be Suna's laundry day.'_

With a firm slice, he decapitated the shinobi. Staring down at the body, Kisame sighed again. This was anything but satisfying- he would have to continue and look for more capable challengers. Hell, if this was the standard of Suna's shinobi nowadays, he may as well waltz into the village and challenge the Kazekage himself. Kisame briefly entertained the idea but then stopped when another scent hit his nose. _'Ah. Round two.'_

Kisame defeated the second man almost as easily. The only difference being this ninja had used Doton style techniques- a naturally effective counter to his Suiton. Alas, the experience level of the Suna-nin was vastly less than Kisame's and once again, the Mist-nin was forced to end the fight prematurely.

Kisame proceeded to kill two more ninja before calling it a night; the skill levels of his victims were laughable, and his lust remained unsated. On the bright side, he had managed to find some supplies on some of the shinobi and decided to take them- not letting good loot go to waste. With the few rolls of bandages he found, Kisame went to work wrapping Samehada with them. After the sword was adequately bandaged, he looked towards the horizon and noticed a sliver of light emerging between the land and sky. It was going to become day soon and he had to return before the kunoichi awoke. Well, he didn't _have_ to, but rather chose to in order to avoid any curiosity towards his whereabouts. Tracing his steps back, he returned quickly. Kisame deftly reassumed his previous position against a rock and closed his eyes, feigning sleep, and trying to ignore the presence in the very near vicinity.

Eventually he opened his eyes and looked upon the girl's sleeping form. She was bundled up in his dark coat- only a hint of forehead and hair poking through- and he tried not to laugh at the paradoxical image of pink hair against the Akatsuki coat. The girl looked so _un_-shinobi-like, he found himself seriously in doubt that she was even a kunoichi at all. She seemed to faint very easily, and was highly prone to injury.

_'Maybe Kabuto kidnapped the wrong chick.'_

Then again the men he had just killed were pretty useless too, and they also considered themselves ninja. Well, at least the Sakura girl could heal- he had to give her credit there. Flashbacks of gentle but firm hands on his torso replayed in Kisame's head; the way she even chose to heal his superficial injuries had taken him by surprise back at Kabuto's lab. Kisame looked down at his exposed arm skin, his gaze following the unbroken blue until it reached his wrist. The man's hand mechanically grazed the flesh, feeling the angry purple line which encircled the joint. Kisame closed his eyes and tried to remember how her touch felt, how he could feel the electricity of his nerves responding despite the numbness he was reduced to. He remembered her near-caressing of his face. How her finger traced a scorching path across his inhuman features. How she wasn't repulsed.

Kisame inhaled a deep breath, taking in the obscured scent of the girl sleeping nearby. He tried to reinstate himself in that fragment of time. The irony that in such a weakened state he should have felt such repose made Kisame frown, but alas, he couldn't deny it. The girl had soothed him in his torment and he was hoping for a fraction of that feeling to return now, to negate this inner conflict he felt.

Before he had a chance to think any further on the matter, the black shape moved, causing a rustling of fabric to indicate the kunoichi's awakening. Kisame noticed the landscape was now flooded in morning light and quickly closing his eyes, he waited. He listened to the soft noise as the girl made her way out of the cocoon she made for herself and then wandered off, possibly to relieve herself, and promptly returned. She picked up his coat, gingerly shaking off the sandy debris and folded it in half, once again laying it over a nearby rock. He decided to crack open an eye after he felt her familiar chakra flare up. Kisame watched as Sakura sat on the ground cross-legged, her injured ankle held by one hand, massaging it, while the other clasped around it, glowing green. He observed as she set her mouth in a determined pout, every once in a while her tongue poking out as if focusing harder.

_'Interesting.'_

After a few more moments of watching in secret, Kisame decided to "awaken" officially. Stretching his arms above his head he then rubbed his eyes. Travel was going to suck after missing a night's rest, but such was life.

Sakura turned to face him, hands still working on her ankle. She gave him a slight nod in acknowledgement, then returned her gaze to her foot. Kisame decided to break the silence.

"Got your chakra back?"

"Enough to finally heal this thing, yeah."

"Mm."

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah," he lied.

"You bandaged your sword." Sakura nodded towards Samehada.

Kisame picked it up and swung it to the sides effortlessly. "Yeah, found some supplies."

Sakura's eyebrows rose suspiciously.

"_Found_..?"

Kisame just smirked then dug his free hand into his pants pocket and took out a half-empty water bottle, tossing it at her. She took a moment to stare at the plastic object which landed by her toe and upon recognizing the swishing contents inside, she snatched it greedily and proceeded to gulp it down.

Sakura coughed from having inhaled some water and then wiping teary eyes thanked the man who gave it to her.

"I was going to warn you- it was open when I found it."

"Well, as long as the previous owner wasn't a leper I'm not complaining."

"No, he looked fine to me." Kisame allowed himself to grin at his sly admission.

Sakura decided not to question it any further, ignoring any possible ethical issues behind the water bottle's retrieval. Kisame was surprised at the kunoichi's silence on the matter, but was grateful. If he explained his late night endeavors to her, he was sure she would shriek in horror and faint. He changed the subject to be on the safe side.

"So you'll be fine on your feet? River isn't much farther."

"Let's see. "

The green glow faded from her palm and Sakura stood up carefully. She then stuck out her foot, rolling it to the sides, testing the function of the newly healed ligament. Happy with the result, Sakura did a couple of light hops and then grinned. Kisame was fascinated by the smile, realizing it was the first time he saw such a genuine expression of happiness on her face. He observed her with a slightly confused expression on his face. Sakura felt self conscious and just rubbed the back of her neck trying to distract herself from the awkwardness.

"Thanks again for the water, but I could use like, a hundred more of those." She laughed nervously. Awkward silences were just the worst. _'What's he staring at me for anyway?'_

"Let's go then."

With that, Kisame took the lead and headed off briskly towards their mutual goal, Sakura following closely behind.

She observed the back of the man in front of her and the sword which now hid bloodstains under linen bandages. She wasn't stupid- the smell of fresh blood was something her senses were attuned to, having been a medic for so long. Sakura didn't want to comment on it though- to do so would have been foolish, considering it was in his nature to kill things. At the reminder, she felt uneasy- he was very capable of killing her as well. These things were easy to forget sometimes, and she would have to stay on her toes just in case. Sakura decided to spend the time travelling practicing her chakra control and doing small exercises to replenish what she had lost.

Kisame still kept his distance and remained silent the entire time. After getting bored with her chakra exercises, Sakura decided she was getting sick of the weird silence and wanted to say something. She was slightly disappointed since she felt that after the previous night's conversation, it would have become easier to talk. Instead, he was unnervingly quiet now and Sakura just _itched_ to ask him something in spite of the evidence of recent murder on his weapon. Each time she thought of something to say though, she bit her tongue, fearing how the man would respond- it was outright intimidating.

Eventually the need overwhelmed her and she spoke.

"Um. How much further?" Sakura rolled her eyes at her uninspired question, but waited for his response intently.

"Few hours."

_'Well that was a success.'_ Sakura frowned. He was being difficult and she briefly wondered if she had said or done something to offend him. _'Shut up Sakura, just be glad he hasn't decided to eat you yet.' _She normally would have shuddered at the disturbing thought, but instead her stomach decided to growl at the mention of eating. The sound was embarrassingly loud and Kisame peered over his shoulder back at her- a small frown still apparent on his face. Sakura reddened in irritation, and defensively crossed her arms over her chest.

"What? Don't tell me you never get hungry, geez." Sakura fanned herself with her hands- it was getting unbearably hot again.

"Oh, trust me I do." Now she could hear him grinning.

_'Oh god- please no details.'_ Her mind couldn't stop imagining Kisame gnawing away at a human leg. Sakura continued her graphic and disturbing mental reverie, and suddenly blurted out a question which had popped up in her mind.

"Hey, which would make you more of a cannibal- eating shark or eating people?"

Sakura winced, cursing at herself for thinking out loud so foolishly. To her surprise Kisame just laughed. Not his usual dark chuckle, but an actual laugh. _Humor._ He found it funny? Sakura looked curiously at him, her own smile threatening to appear at the unexpected sound.

"That's a good question." This time he turned and flashed her his usual toothy grin. Then he raised his arms above his head, his fingers interlaced behind his neck. He looked up as if deeply thinking about his answer. Coupled with his casual stroll, he reminded her a lot of Kakashi in this moment. He spoke before she had a chance to think any further about her old mentor.

"Well, perhaps I'll have an answer for you after I taste human flesh." He laughed lightly after. Sakura found it enchanting, almost forgetting that he even said anything.

Finding it slightly contagious, she herself laughed softly. So, apparently he _didn't_ indulge in human cuisine. Or, according to him, not _yet_ anyway. Either way, Sakura decided it wasn't important- she was more interested in making the man laugh more often, finding the sound strangely pleasant to her ears.

The rest of the walk was much less tense and Sakura was glad for it; for once her big mouth caused something positive to occur. The desert setting was gradually becoming more vegetative as grass and trees started popping up on the landscape. The temperature was also becoming easier to bear, and both ninja found themselves quickening their strides towards their goal. Eventually the sandy ground gave way to moss and single trees became lush forest. Sakura sighed in relief at the shade and abundance of fresh air. Some time later, distracting her from her current mental musings, Kisame stopped walking.

Sakura looked up at the man as he turned around to face her after so long. She found her gaze resting on his mesh-covered chest for a few seconds until he spoke.

"We're here."

"Oh," Sakura responded blankly. She looked around at the surroundings with intense interest trying to distract herself from looking at the man in front of her. They both stood waiting for the other to speak but it was Kisame who finally took the initiative.

"You have any personal business in this particular place?"

"Oh, uh, no."

"Well Konoha is further east, as I'm sure you know."

Sakura laughed nervously, loosely playing with her hair. She promptly stopped after realizing how dirty it still was.

"Of course I know that."

This was probably the most awkward she felt in a while. She frantically searched for something intelligent to say- to do- but nothing came as she remained standing, waiting for Kisame to speak again. Sakura knew she could find her way back home from here, but she didn't know what to do about...this. This whole situation. She chewed her lip nervously. Then, remembering her dire need for a shower and drink of water, she spoke.

"Well, would you happen to know where the closest body of water is?"

Kisame looked thoughtful for a second, then plastered his usual grin on his lips.

"You're looking at it."

Sakura scoffed as she took in the man's smug expression.

"_Ha-ha," _she mock laughed, "well I was hoping to wash up, but I doubt you're very useful for that."

"You could've asked."

Sakura stared at Kisame with an eyebrow raised. _'What the hell is he getting at?'_ She didn't like the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips again.

"Suiton: _Bakusui Shouha_!"

Without warning, a flood of water gushed out from the shark-man's mouth and Sakura lost her footing as the wave washed over her. She was knocked backwards and inhaled a good gulp of the liquid in shock. Sakura coughed as she struggled to stand, now knee-deep in water. To her dismay she once again fell and now sat on her butt thoroughly drenched. Slowly the water began to recede and absorb into the ground, and as Sakura expelled the last of it from her lungs, her head shot up, eyes blazing with fury at the man responsible.

"What...the...HELL?" she screamed at him, pounding her fists into the wet forest floor.

Kisame's brow twitched furiously at the sight of the girl. Sakura looked positively _hilarious_. She was shivering and her hair and clothing were clinging to her body, making her look like a wet cat. Her angry face betrayed her humorous appearance and he couldn't stop the laughter that erupted from within his chest.

"Oh! I'm glad you find this so comical, but you'll regret it when my _fist_ is embedded deep in your fishy little _face_!" While she boldly launched threats at the still-laughing man, she arose and proceeded to wring out her drenched clothes and hair. Alas, it was futile- she was soaked to the bone. Further angered at the situation, Sakura raised a fist in the air, gathering as much chakra she could into it, and with a menacing growl, forcefully punched a hole straight into a nearby tree.

Kisame stopped his chuckling at the resounding boom, noticing the tree which Sakura had just smashed. He looked astonishingly at the airborne splinters and dust and then at the feeble looking girl who stood firmly next to the woody remains, trying to even out her breathing. _'Interesting.' _So maybe there was a decent warrior under the girly exterior after all?

Kisame, still grinning, shrugged at the girl unapologetically. "Hey, at least you cleaned up quite nicely."

Sakura gritted her teeth and threw her soaked sandal at the man's head. To her chagrin, he caught it in his hand before it connected. Sakura inwardly groaned in defeat; he kept one-upping her and she was running out of ideas. If she was in her usual form, she would have shown him what it meant to mess around with someone like her. Unfortunately, Sakura was too tired and spent to bother thinking of any more crafty ways to hurt the man, and she stupidly wasted most of her remaining chakra on that poor tree. And to add insult to injury, the resulting debris from the violent act had plastered itself all over her wet body like she was some sort of human fly tape.

_'Brilliant, as always.'_

Sakura dropped down on her knees making a squelching sound in the process, and proceeded to pick splinters and leaves off of her drenched clothing.

Kisame stared at her sulking form from nearby. Okay, he was willing to admit he felt a _little_ bit guilty for putting the girl through such a thing, but god help him if it wasn't the most rewarding decision he made in a while. Sighing, he reluctantly made his way closer to the sitting girl and extended his forefinger to her, a sandal hanging off the end of the digit. It was snatched away angrily by Sakura, who huffed in annoyance and looked to the side avoiding his face.

Kisame was amused to say the least. He decided it wouldn't be bad having her as company for just a _little_ longer.

"I'll show you to the nearest river. I was headed there myself."

"What? You're not even going to apologize for this?" Sakura was waving her hands at herself.

"No." Kisame _never _apologized. He wasn't about to start now.

"Well then you can screw yourself! I'm going."

Kisame watched her quivering form stomp off in his opposite direction. _'So stubborn.'_

"You won't last very long alone in these parts."

She stopped retreating and turned around slowly to face him, a suspicious expression on her face.

"Don't tell me you're concerned..."

Kisame chuckled and pointed to the splintered remains of the tree. "Not at all, kunoichi. But I _could _make use your firewood gathering skills."

Sakura scoffed. Two could play this game.

"Only if you make me dinner."

_'Ha. Take that sharkface.'_

"Hm. Throw in a backrub and we have a deal."

Sakura glared at the man who looked at her contentedly. He was being so bold and uninhibited, it was hard to believe he was so unapproachable a few hours ago.

"_Fine_." Sakura decided she was too famished, cold, and tired to protest. She knew a good deal when it presented itself and she wasn't going to resist, only to end up alone and dead in this unknown territory.

_'Besides, there's probably bears roaming around.'_

Inwardly she sighed but made sure to keep her face as determined as possible lest the man think she had caved in.

"Don't forget the firewood," with that Kisame was already walking towards a set route.

Sakura grumbled something about gentlemen and courtesy under her breath and picked up as many splintered pieces of wood she could carry in her arms and followed the man ahead of her. It didn't take long before Sakura could hear the gentle rush of water up ahead. The promise of a drink and bath made her quicken her pace until she was in step with Kisame.

The tree line ahead of them broke and gave way to glittering freshwater. Sakura made an excited noise and dropped her woody parcel onto the mossy ground near the riverbank. She crouched over the ledge, cupped her hands and proceeded to gulp down handful after handful of water. Kisame ignored her, propping Samehada up against a tree and then began to stretch his weary limbs. After a few stretches, he decided to start a fire and once it was blazing, he sat down against a tree and watched the flames- his mind elsewhere.

"Hello?"

"Hm?"

"I'm going to go take a bath. Just so you know."

"I thought I had already provided you with one?" Kisame struggled to maintain his composure and not start laughing again at the reminder of earlier.

"Ugh."

Sakura rolled her eyes and strode off as Kisame watched her retreating figure until he could no longer see it. He briefly considered following her in secret, but then dismissed it as soon as it came up, confused at the disturbing thought. _'Strange.'_ Even though the girl was amusing, Kisame didn't think of her in _that_ way. At all. She was fun to taunt and even funner to launch watery techniques at- and maybe a good healer- but definitely not his type. One thing she was though, was unpredictable and fiery. Kisame had to admit it was refreshing, considering the last companion he had was the complete opposite. Sakura had a spunky attitude and wasn't afraid to verbally spar with him. Any other time, he would have reprimanded such offenses, but for some reason he felt different about this Sakura girl. Maybe it was because she was a small girl and not even formidable looking men thought to challenge him as brazenly as she did- who knew? Small girl or not, she had managed to surprise him by nearly obliterating that tree, making him wonder how good of a fighter she was. Too bad she wasn't at maximum capacity or he would be curious to find out.

Kisame smirked and closed his eyes, attempting to rest for a bit before Sakura returned. It was midday and he would spend the night here. He realized he hadn't really thought about what exactly his plans were after having escaped his near-demise, but he decided to stay in River Country and fully replenish himself before heading anywhere else. He hadn't felt this free since leaving Mist all those years ago and he would take advantage of it for the time being. As for the girl, she would leave soon most likely, so he didn't need to think about her sticking around for too long. The thought left him feeling odd again, but he brushed it off. Insomnia was getting to him.

Sakura returned quicker than he expected and cracking open an eye, Kisame looked at her. She was standing rather stiffly on the other side of the fire looking like she wanted to say something.

"What is it?"

"Can I borrow your coat again?"

Kisame decided to look at her fully now, taking in her apologetic expression. She was dripping wet and still wearing the drenched outfit from before. Realizing she didn't have a change of clothes, Kisame shrugged off his coat once more and thrust it out to her. He was becoming used to it now. _'How pathetic.'_

"Um. Thanks," she sheepishly replied.

With that Sakura walked off in the same direction as before and returned soon after, holding her wet kunoichi outfit. Kisame looked up at her cloaked figure and suddenly realized she was most likely naked under his coat. Instantly he stopped his mind from thinking any more about that particular fact and then he got up to distract himself. This whole situation was becoming all too weird for him and he needed a walk. Picking Samehada up, Kisame prepared to set out, when Sakura piped up from her position on the ground.

"Hey, don't forget about our deal."

Oh, right. She was hungry. Kisame pivoted on his foot and looked at the girl, who was now arranging some branches in a peculiar fashion. She didn't look up at him, intently focused on her task. Deciding not to question her strange ways, he turned back around and headed off in search of food- after all he was starving too.

Sakura had finished making a rudimentary drying rack for her wet clothes and after placing it near the fire, she sat down, hugging her knees. The oversized garment she wore now was so long she could almost wrap herself in it twice. It was alarming how comfortable the stupid coat was, considering what it represented and who it belonged to. She huddled deeper into it, letting the high collar shield her face from the embers.

Sakura gazed at the flickering flames in front of her, lost in thought. She should be feeling relaxed after having cleaned up, but something still made her tense and it wasn't her still-looming hunger. It was this whole situation. Everything about it was unnatural. Frankly, she shouldn't be anywhere _near_ the vicinity of her travelling companion let alone be sitting here enshrouded in his coat. Sakura poked at a rock with her toe.

He was a dangerous man. Even though he seemed docile enough so far, there was no denying the true nature of shinobi like him. He was a hardened criminal, and the blood on his sword that morning was proof. She was being too careless with her actions around him. Her short temper usually caused others to avoid provoking her, but Kisame was much stronger and could have killed her for any insults she launched his way. Thinking back, Sakura remembered just how much she had lashed out at the man after he doused her with his weird jutsu. _'Oh god, I even threw my shoe at him!'_ Sakura slapped her palm against her face in agony. What was she thinking? Sure Kisame seemed to be tolerant, but he probably had his reasons. Sakura wondered if he was just acting around her, and whether he had ulterior motives. She thought hard. Sure, their conversations weren't very friendly, but it was mostly just teasing. And he didn't make any attempts to kill her yet- not even with that stupid Suiton jutsu.

Sakura grimaced recalling the stunt but then remembered the sound of his bellowing laugh following after. She softly smiled at the memory of his rich laughter- albeit at her expense- but then stopped herself. _'He probably laughs every time he chops someone's head off too.' _

Shuddering, she pressed her chin into her knees and turned her palms up against the fire's warmth. At this point it was hard to say what his intentions were and Sakura was still uneasy about it. She decided to stop thinking any further about the subject and focused on warming herself instead. A few minutes later, Sakura heard the object of her internal strife come through the trees and she had to resist craning her neck to see if he brought anything with him. She anxiously picked at a loose thread coming out from one of the red clouds on the Akatsuki coat to occupy herself.

_Plop._

Sakura's head shot up in surprise, and her green eyes accidentally locked on to Kisame's. They quickly averted their gazes and Sakura looked at the heap on the floor.

"Fish!"

About a dozen fish were strewn out on the ground next to Kisame's leg and Sakura's mouth instantly watered at the sight. Ignoring the man's presence, she rose from her seat and made her way over in order to inspect and begin preparing them. Before she had a chance to ask if he happened to have a knife, Kisame grabbed one of the critters and chomped down on its head. The sound of crunching bone and gristle met Sakura's ears and to her horror, she watched as the man in front of her nonchalantly chewed the uncooked meat.

Her mouth hung agape in shock. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Hmm?"

"You're just going to eat them raw like that?"

Kisame then grinned, flashing Sakura a bloody smile and then promptly spat out a sharp bone.

"Savage." Sakura's appetite seemed to have taken a road trip.

The man just ignored her disgust and continued casually eating as he sat, then he spoke after having swallowed the rest.

"So, in regards to your earlier question, does eating _fish_ make me look cannibalistic?"

Sakura peered at him from under scrutinizing eyes. "No, you just look barbaric."

Kisame snorted as if she was pointing out the obvious.

Overcoming her nausea, her stomach growled and Sakura snatched up a fish herself. Using a sharp rock, she proceeded to gut it but the result was a ragged mess and she was only left with meager strips of meat, to her dismay. Undiscouraged, Sakura poked the slippery flesh through a long branch and began to cook it over the fire. She then flashed the man in front of her a triumphant smirk.

Kisame quirked a brow.

"You're doing it wrong."

"Well if doing it _right_ consists of eating it raw as you so graphically demonstrated, then I'd rather be wrong."

Kisame gave a short laugh and then proceeded to "show her how it's done". With a quick succession of motions using the same tool she had, he cleaned a fish and poked it through his own branch. Holding it up against the fire, the meat on his looked much more abundant.

"Whatever, show-off." Sakura pouted at her own measly stick.

Both shinobi sat and ate in the comfort of the crackling flames and Sakura made note that Kisame had abandoned his previous, stomach-churning method of eating, resorting to cooking his as well. It made her realize that he really was a hybrid of man and beast- having traits of both- not only physically. It should have creeped her out thoroughly, but something prevented Sakura from being totally off-put by his actions. Somehow, no matter how many times he would prove his beastly nature to her, Sakura found herself seeing humanity in it. _'Intriguing.'_

After the pile of fish dwindled down to nothing, dusk was already upon the landscape. Both shinobi were satiated and sat in silence, mutually entranced by the campfire and the shadows it was now creating. After a moment, Kisame grabbed his sword from its resting place and sat back down across from Sakura, beginning to unravel the bandages. She watched in fascination as the scales underneath shifted and moved as they became exposed to the fresh air. He then began cleaning it with a scrap of cloth. Sakura was engrossed by the man's gentle and deft movements with his large hands. Once again, the contrast of the two was fascinating, and it made Sakura briefly wonder about what other things lay hidden behind this paradoxical man.

"Thanks for the meal, by the way." Sakura blurted it out rather abruptly, not knowing exactly why. He was too absorbed by his sword to look up at her, but he did emit a small "mm" in response.

Sakura was unsure of what to do now, and just sat, digging her hands into the pockets of the coat. One of her fingers connected with something small and hard, and she dug it up in curiosity. In the light of the flames, she noticed it was a ring. The slightly worn metal glinted and revealed a yellow circular inset with a kanji symbol inscribed on it. Sakura held it up closer to her face and read the symbol aloud.

"_South._"

Kisame looked up from his task and gazed at Sakura who was slightly embarrassed- not noticing she had spoken out loud.

"Oh, sorry. I just found this in your coat pocket."

She held up the ring and tossed it at him, suddenly feeling guilty- as if being caught reading somebody's secret diary.

Kisame caught it and held it in his hand. Sakura studied his face intently, trying to find any sign of extreme anger or something akin, but he just looked at the object blankly. After a moment, he stuffed it into his pants pocket and continued his methodical cleaning of Samehada. Then he spoke, for some reason feeling the need to offer some explanation.

"We all had one, in Akatsuki."

Sakura stared at the man ahead of her with intense curiosity. So, he was serious about having left the organization. This was just begging for a myriad of questions to be asked, but she held her tongue, letting him continue.

"They were used for the sealing ritual- for the tailed-beasts."

Kisame spoke evenly, no hint of any emotion in his voice save for a slight tiredness. He found no use in keeping the information from her- after all, he was no longer affiliated with the Akatsuki and what was done, was done. No sense in keeping it secret any longer.

Sakura was feeling less unaffected, though. At the mention of tailed-beasts, her gaze shifted back to herself and she looked at the red clouds on the coat she wore, and pondered about the harrowing admission from Kisame. More and more, evidence of this man's true nature would reveal itself to her, and each time Sakura found herself newly conflicted.

_'That ring...'_

That ring was testament of the suffering of many innocent jinchuriki. Of Gaara. And if things had gone awry, of Naruto. This was just further reason to get up and leave. Rationality screamed it at her. Sakura knew she could if she chose to- Kisame would not stop her. This was wrong in every sense of the word. She was a proud Konoha shinobi, and to mingle with such an enemy was outright _treason_.

Her feet did not move. The black fabric housing the enemy's symbol was still warming her body.

Konoha's leaf symbol was absent from her forehead.

Sakura raked her hair back, as if to confirm it for herself. The physical manifestation of her allegiance to Konoha was now left somewhere back at Kabuto's hideout. The implication left her feeling cowardly and ashamed. Sakura sighed and arose from the ground, picking up her now-dry outfit off the makeshift rack.

Kisame watched from his lowered gaze as the girl strode off behind a tree and re-entered his line of sight moments later, wearing only her usual kunoichi garb. She briskly walked over to his still-seated position and stuck out her arm, returning his coat. Kisame didn't question the girl, and just accepted the garment, wedging it between his back and the tree behind him as a cushion. It wasn't warm out, and he briefly wondered why she would divest herself of the coat, but thought better than to ask her. She was a strange girl, after all. The silence on the other hand, was becoming rather dull and Kisame noted a shift in the girl's demeanor; she was slightly more reserved now, sitting more upright as if on guard. He decided he didn't like the girl like this, so he broke the ice.

"Hey, you were supposed to give me a backrub, kunoichi." He said it with his usual sly smirk.

Sakura's eyes shot up at the man, glaring angrily.

"I don't think so."

Kisame never expected the girl to do it, but a part of him hoped she would. Unfortunately though, it seemed she was nowhere near the relaxed state she was in before to even consider it. Kisame thought of various things he could say to bring back her usual playful sass, but couldn't think of anything adequate. Sakura had her arms crossed and just sat in silence, lost in her own world. _'She's probably still mad about the puny wave I launched at her earlier,' _Kisame thought.

Either way, he didn't want to bring that up again for fear of putting her in an even worse mood.

Sighing, Kisame rose up, having thoroughly cleaned and re-bandaged Samehada and decided to go for a much needed dip in the water.

"I'm gonna go swimming."

Sakura didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the fire. Kisame paused then proceeded towards the riverbank right next to their campsite. As Sakura heard the rustling of clothes indicate the man was disrobing only a few meters away from her, she closed her eyes lest he come into her peripheral view. Her somber thoughts about Konoha, loyalty and politics in general were quickly replaced by thoughts of a different nature. To Sakura's dismay, she found her mind going against her will and picturing a very nude, blue skinned man skinny dipping in the night. The worst part of that was if she needed anything to compare her mental image to, all she had to do was walk a few steps to the left and-

_'Stop it! Stop Sakura.'_

She didn't know why she even thought of such an atrocious thing, or worse, why it bothered her at all. She had seen many naked bodies and one more- albeit a blue one- shouldn't have to faze her so much. Besides, she was busy sulking about her situation and how horrible and tormenting and cruel and the Akatsuki and...

Sakura stopped herself mid-thought. She was not going to lie to herself like this. If anything, this man, Kisame, had surprised her with his actions so far. He was often disturbing and as socially awkward as Sai, but the fact remained that as a man she should have loathed, he was not giving her any reason to do so. _'Not yet, anyway.'_

The sounds of water swishing eventually ceased, and soon after, the blue-skinned man returned, walking back towards his previous spot. Sakura had her eyes screwed shut in case he decided to return in the nude, but after artfully cracking open an eye and noticing he was somewhat clothed, she decided it was safe to finally acknowledge the man. He was standing in only his knee-length pants and Sakura struggled to tear her eyes away from his bare chest and the rivulets of water streaming down it, illuminated by the glow of the fire. She spoke to distract herself.

"I'm going home tomorrow."

"I know."

After a moment of pause, Sakura spoke again, "What will you do?"

She was looking up at him and noticed his back was turned to her as he bandaged a part on his forearm and Sakura found it even harder to look away, especially since the skin on his back was covered in gashes and bruises. She had only healed his front back at the lab, and forgot that other areas could have been injured also.

"I haven't decided yet," came the man's response, interrupting her thoughts.

Sakura felt strange.

"Does it hurt?"

Kisame looked over his shoulder at the kunoichi, puzzled. Sakura licked her lips which suddenly felt dry.

"Your back, I meant. The wounds."

Realization dawned on him as he turned to face her, once again seating himself at the base of a tree.

"Not really. I can handle a lot." He shrugged a shoulder in emphasis.

Sakura gulped.

"I-I owe you..."

And before she could stop herself, Sakura got up and walked over to the man. He wanted to tell her no, that he was fine, but the words wouldn't form. The kunoichi sat down next to him and without needing instruction, Kisame turned around, letting her have access to his still damp back.

He felt her chakra as it gently probed the layers of his skin, mending and reconstructing the tissue to its original form. For some reason, he willed himself to memorize the scent, the touch, the slight hum of chakra. As Sakura's gentle touch felt him physically, he engraved the memory mentally. Kisame took in every detail- the brush of her fingertips as she moved to a different spot, the soft puffs of breath against his skin, the steady, muffled thrum of her heart- his heart.

He didn't know the reasons of his actions nor hers, but he found himself too weary to assess or think about them further. He was too far immersed in this moment to pay any heed to rationality and logic. Sakura worked diligently but at a slower pace than usual. Something about her healing this man was putting her in a state of calm and she didn't want to leave it too soon. It was the first time in days she felt at peace, and her mind was kind enough not to remind her of the irony.

All too soon, though, it had to end. Sakura had run out of angry wounds to heal.

_'Just surface wounds...'_

Was it pointless? She looked at the expanse of skin in front of her. Scars new and old still littered the once-smooth tissue, but alas not every scar could be fully healed. The best she could do with the severe ones was to stitch up the skin so it didn't bleed or scab. The only indication of their existence was a pale, raised line. She lightly traced one with her fingertip and Kisame twitched at the touch. Sakura instantly retracted her wandering hand, cursing at herself for having been so candid. She quickly rose and returned to her spot across from the man she just tended to.

Consequently embarrassed from what happened, and not knowing why she did it, Sakura looked over to where the river was and chewed her lip uncomfortably- a slight flush emerging on her face.

Kisame didn't notice the redness on her face, but Sakura's body language was an obvious indicator of the girl's current state of embarrassment. He found himself looking for words to say to her but once again, came up empty. It didn't matter. Tomorrow she would be gone and he would never see her again. Once again, they will be enemies and these exchanges will be as if they never existed.

"We're even," came the voice of the shark-man.

The hidden connotations behind those words was not lost on either shinobi.

Both fell asleep promptly after.

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**A/N:** Hey guys. This was a longer chapter but I didn't want to split it up considering it took me a long time and I'm going on vacation next week anyway.

So yeah leave your reviews as usual and let me know what you think. Thanks always to my loyal supporters for your constant words of encouragement- i love you allllll

I hope everyone has awesome holidays and I'll be back after I'm all sexy and tan from my trip to Cuba :D


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hey guysss... so I lied and decided to write another chapter before my trip. I hope you're not mad! Haha... anyway, here it is. Enjoy and anticipate the next one after I come back in 2 weeks.

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The next morning, Sakura had awoken to a light rain. The sun still shone through the thinly spread clouds above, making the resulting raindrops cast the greenery in a sparkling glow.

Her weary eyes drank in the beautiful sight and she paused to admire it for a moment before standing up. She brushed the dirt and grass off herself and made her way over to the riverbank to wash her face. This beat waking up in a desert by a long shot.

Upon returning to the campsite, Sakura took notice of Kisame's sleeping form. He was leaning back against a tree with his head lolled to the side and his legs stretched out before him. One hand firmly gripped Samehada's hilt and a light snore emanated from his closed mouth. It was almost funny how...normal he looked. If it wasn't for his unusual coloring, he would have looked ordinary, despite his tallness. He was still bare-chested and once more, Sakura found her gaze lingering on the defined muscles for longer than necessary.

In the stark brightness of the daylight, she could see every little scar and blemish which marred the blue-grey skin of the man before her. It was obvious Kisame had been in many a grueling fight and Sakura wondered about each mark and how he attained it.

Then she remembered last night.

Realizing the strange intimacy of their interaction, Sakura frowned, her cheeks slightly tinted pink. Why, when she healed this man- touched him at _all_ for that matter- did she feel so different?

Well, it didn't matter any more. Today she would set out for Konoha- a trip which would take around two days on foot- and soon she would be free of any more thoughts pertaining this man. Soon, she would see all her friends, sleep on her comfortable bed, put on fresh clothes, eat her favourite take-out...

Sakura frowned again. Something continued to plague her and prevent the excitement of returning home to overcome her. Crouching, she took a stick and poked at the ashes of the long-gone fire. Looking down at the charred ground, she noticed the Konoha leaf symbol which she had subconsciously drawn. Sakura paused then dragged the branch across the symbol. Alarmed at the sight of the slashed-out leaf, she immediately dragged her foot across the entire doodle. She was spending too much time around Akatsuki members- defected or not.

Slapping her hands loudly against her thighs, Sakura got back up, hoping to wake the sleeping Kisame.

To no avail.

Sakura inwardly wondered if she should just set out without notifying the man. It's not like they had become _friends_- they were just two random people unexpectedly put in similar conditions. The subsequent "relationship" which they now shared was only due to mutual benefit- not exactly anything personal.

_'If only it w__ere that simple.'_

Sakura inhaled deeply, preparing to rouse the man. She stomped over a few steps and stood over his body, observing him once more. He looked...peaceful. Sakura sighed at herself. It was never this daunting to wake anyone else, so why did she feel such hesitation?

_'__Because most people don't have sharp teeth and sleep with a sword in their hand?'_

Fair enough. That was a good enough reason for her. Sakura looked at the stick on the ground and considered poking Kisame with it. The mental image was too funny and Sakura laughed. Kisame frowned and his eyes shot open at the offending sound. Looking up at the girl, he decided to get up, seemingly embarrassed at having overslept. Not that it was possible to tell- he just looked grumpy.

Sakura backed away, giving him space in case he decided to swing the creepy sword in her direction. Kisame stretched his neck to the sides and grunted something, heading for the riverbank. He didn't pay much heed to the pink-haired girl, but Sakura didn't mind. This morning was much less awkward than before- regardless of their exchange the previous night. Hopefully the remainder of their time would go by in relative ease.

Suddenly, Sakura remembered her chakra and immediately began molding it to see how much had regenerated. To her surprise, it seemed she was nearly at full capacity. Feeling better by the minute, she decided to go through a series of simple punches and kicks- if she was going to be walking alone back to Konoha for the next two days, she needed to be in shape. Sakura walked over to a tree and began her sequence of memorized taijutsu.

As Kisame returned from the riverbank after having taken a quick dip, he noticed Sakura's chakra flare up. The girl was practicing taijutsu on a tree and Kisame didn't want to interrupt her, instead stood silently observing. He watched as she skilfully reigned in her chakra, not letting it unleash itself upon the tree. He observed the girl's sequential flurry of punches-left, right, left, right- hitting the bark firmly, but not so much as to cause heavy damage. Smirking, Kisame came to a decision.

"Kunoichi."

Sakura stopped her actions and her head whipped back at the sound of Kisame's voice. She lightly blushed and then looked down at the ground in dismay of her stupid reaction.

"Good morning." She laughed nervously.

"You're leaving for Konoha today?"

"Yeah, finally." Sakura now smiled a tight-lipped smile and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hm. Perhaps, you'd like to fight me before you go?"

Sakura's eyes widened before the man's proposal. Her mind was busy trying to figure out what exactly that entailed and before she had a chance to figure it out, she just replied softly, "Okay."

Kisame grinned and Sakura blinked, coming to her senses.

"Wait a second-"

"I won't use Samehada. No ninjutsu either. Strictly hand-to-hand combat."

Sakura eyed him, unsure. Since when was he so eager? _'Oh my God, what if he kills me?'_ Her brow knitted into a frown and she sucked in her lower lip. It was a possibility, but then again, he had refrained from doing so all this time. And it's not like she wasn't without defence either- Sakura had proven to be quite an adept offensive fighter many times, and just because Kisame was S-Class material didn't mean she couldn't handle it. With a quick intake of breath, Sakura steeled herself, making her decision.

"Fine."

Kisame grinned widely. For some reason, the thought of sparring with this girl was more exciting than those Suna-nin he killed the day before- and for a man like him, the prospect of a kill was always more delectable than just a friendly, bloodless spar. He flexed his hands in anticipation.

Sakura paused, her index finger now resting against her lips thoughtfully.

"How about we spice it up a bit?" She was feeling good, so why not take advantage?

Kisame perked up in curiosity.

"Let's say, if I win, you have to make me breakfast. And if you win..." Sakura trailed off slowly, giving Kisame the cue to decide on his prize.

"If I win, you give me that backrub."

Sakura raised a brow quizzically at the man. So, he was really caught up on that, was he? She cracked her knuckles, smirking at the little confidence boost in realizing such a tough guy wanted her so close to him. It should have caused her to feel uncomfortable, but instead, the adrenalin pumping through her veins was just making the girl anxious to start fighting.

"Deal."

"Mm."

Both shinobi moved away from their campsite and were positioned near the riverbank. They got into battle-ready stances, and Sakura decided to test the waters by making the first move.

She ran to the right and lunged towards the shark-man, arm outstretched ready to punch him. He dodged easily, aiming to grab Sakura by the wrist to immobilize her. The girl ducked out of the way, nimbly using her small size to her advantage. She crouched down low preparing to side-kick him down with force, but he jumped back before her leg made contact with his. Sakura wasted no time, and got back up to resume her assault. She lunged forward again, and springing up, prepared to administer a powerful kick to Kisame's throat. Once again, the man dodged, expecting the girl to have fallen from her high, missed kick. Instead she gracefully dropped down in a crouch with her leg outstretched.

_'Hmm, e__nergetic,' _he looked at the girl, grinning toothily. She had surprised him with her skill so far, and after deeming her strength formidable, he decided to stop holding back. As he expected, she came at him, teeth slightly bared with a determined look on her face. Her multiple punches were dodged by Kisame, and he decided to try kicking his leg under her in order to make her fall. To his surprise, she seemed to have anticipated it, and used his outstretched leg as leverage to jump off from. Sakura sprang up and readied another kick- this time aimed at his still-bare chest.

Kisame lurched his body backwards and barely evaded Sakura's attack. He was really starting to enjoy this. The girl didn't hold back and it amused him how determinedly she fought. She was standing knees apart, waiting for an opening. Now he decided to go on the offensive, doing a handspring forward and flipping midair, Kisame used the element of surprise to throw Sakura's tracking of his movements. With a powerful swing of his arm he prepared to wind her. Sakura swerved left at the last second and with great effort swung her body around to jump behind him. Kisame's reflexes were quick, and he spun around as well, ready to counter her attack. Sakura tried to duck when she saw the man had turned to face her and administer another punch, but she was too slow, and the hit landed, connecting with the side of her face.

She was thrust back a little from the force, and landed on her butt. Kisame braced himself for the verbal onslaught. Or worse, tears. He watched as the kunoichi stroked the reddened skin and tested the function of her jaw. Then she smiled and laughed darkly, resuming her crouching position.

"And here I thought you'd never get serious," she panted, still grinning.

Kisame stared at Sakura slightly confused at her cocky attitude. She was unfazed by his hit, even though it had connected with quite an impact- one he could feel in his fist still. He had felt a pang of guilt after doing it so hard, but the girl seemed to be fine. He grinned once more, enjoying this outcome of events. This Sakura was a feisty one.

Kisame got into position as well, ready to make the first move this time. He leapt towards her fast and prepared to tackle and immobilize her. Sakura evaded once again and using the trunk of a tree behind her for purchase, she launched herself in the air aiming to attack the man on the ground. They continued sparring for a while, both shinobi feeling the burn of their lungs and muscles from the exertion. Once again, they were facing each other after another bout of fighting, both of them breathing heavily. Each had taken hits from the other, but none grave enough to determine a winner.

Kisame inwardly chastised himself. Taijutsu was not his most effective battle-technique and he was still not in top condition, but he still should be able to overpower a mere kunoichi. Unfortunately, she had the advantage of being petite and lithe, so most of his direct attacks were quickly avoided by her. Frustration was laced with fascination though, as the man was still intrigued by Sakura's performance. He needed more, though. He wanted to see her true power. He wanted the girl to come at him with full force, no holds barred. Kisame stood up straight holding up a hand in a sign of pause.

"I think we should try a different approach. I want you to fight me using your chakra. No ninjutsu, just chakra-enhanced taijutsu."

Sakura looked at him suspiciously, still breathing heavily. She bent over and braced her hands on her knees, taking a moment.

"What about you?"

"I'll counter your attacks as I see fit." He grinned. Kisame wasn't going to go all out if she didn't meet a certain standard, but judging from her earlier tree-demolishing, he could assume she had the potential to give him an adequate challenge. Not that she could beat him, not even in his still-weakened state. Kisame awaited her response.

"Okay, deal." Sakura matched his grin and unleashed a bit of chakra in her fist, revelling in the feeling; she really hated restraining her chakra when she fought.

Kisame took a brief moment to take in the unique scent of the kunoichi's chakra but was quickly interrupted as he noticed said girl coming towards him with a cocky smirk on her face.

Sakura whizzed towards him, fists ready to connect with blue skin. Having fought him for the past hour, she gained a bit of insight to his movements. Predicting he would dodge left and attempt to grab her other arm, she swung in that direction hoping to catch him off guard. Her fists were ablaze with green and she grunted primally as she swung with all her might at Kisame. The unexpected move worked according to Sakura's prediction, and before he had a chance to fully evade, her fist met furiously with his jaw. The resounding crack of bone on bone broke Sakura out of her adrenalin-fuelled state and the girl lost her footing, falling onto the man she just hit.

Kisame stumbled back with a grunt. Then the weight of Sakura's body on him pushed him down onto the ground. His jaw felt like it had completely cracked.

As soon as both shinobi were on the ground and realized their position, Sakura was the first to spring back. Kisame still lay on his back, his hand rubbing his throbbing jaw. An uneasy minute passed with only the sound of heavy breathing. Sakura sat on the ground exhausted and thoroughly embarrassed at both her forceful hit and at having fallen on the shark man. After the silence, she finally decided to speak up quietly.

"Are you okay?"

Kisame found it hard to open his mouth to speak, his jaw seemingly locked and throbbing with immense intensity.

Sakura took the man's silence as a grave sign and immediately crawled over to him. His eyes were closed and his brow furrowed. At her sudden presence, he opened his eyes to look at her. Her green irises were pasted on his new injury and her hand rose towards the spot, most likely in an attempt to heal it. Kisame swatted her hand away before she got the chance. Sakura recoiled, looking fearful.

Kisame steadied his breathing, eyes closed again, and then laughed through his nose. Sakura was unsure of how to react.

"Kunoichi, you're a surprising creature."

Sakura folded her arms and huffed in annoyance. Here she was concerned that she had severely injured him and he just acted so casual about it. Her heart rate had skyrocketed after thinking of what he would do if she had in fact caused heavy damage, and now he was laughing about it.

"Well this was your idea."

"Yeah, and I underestimated you."

Sakura allowed herself to straighten her back a little at the hidden compliment. Yes, she _had_ just punched a notorious criminal square in the jaw. And yes, she _would_ rub it in, goddamnit.

"I win, shark."

Kisame still lay on the ground with his eyes closed. He looked thoughtful.

"Mm. _Now_ we're even."

Sakura allowed a small laugh to escape. She touched her hand to her own bruised cheek. She was glad he at least hadn't hit her with a chakra-laced punch. Deciding it wasn't worthy enough to heal, Sakura left the slightly swollen skin alone. Brushing herself off, Sakura rose up, suddenly remembering she had intended to leave for Konoha today.

_'Crap!'_

She rubbed her sore arms as she spoke. "I have to go."

Kisame opened his eyes finally and lifted his body up off the grass. _'No you don't.'_

"Yes you do," he replied, his voice betraying his thoughts.

He was going to allow a part of himself to admit, inwardly, that he hoped Sakura would stick around for just a bit longer- maybe take a break and then spar again later. But he would never voice his thoughts openly. Besides, perhaps a break from _her_ was what he truly needed. The kunoichi made him act weird- that was for certain.

He quickly rose up and ran a large hand through his hair. Sakura tried to avert her eyes from the half-naked man. Alas, it was proving almost impossible, especially as she watched in fascination as his pectoral muscles tightened when his arms reached up to stroke his hair- causing the serratus anterior to look _quite_-

She quickly blinked away the image and looked to the sky in a feeble attempt to distract herself. _'Birds! Birds are nice. And clouds.'_

How did it always happen that she noticed these things at the strangest of times?

Kisame was already walking towards the river, presumably to wash himself. Suddenly Sakura remembered the man mentioning how sensitive his nose was, and in an act of self-consciousness she proceeded towards the water as well. She was pretty sweaty after the workout and needed to wash up anyway before heading off on her two-day journey home. Noticing Kisame was already in the river, she went off in a different direction for privacy.

Upon reaching a relatively secluded spot, Sakura disrobed and quickly jumped in the water in case anyone decided to tag along for a show. The river wasn't very deep but still allowed for swimming, but Sakura's muscles were too tired for any more strenuous activity. Instead she allowed herself to lean back into the current a little, letting the flow of water wash the dirt and sweat off on its own. As Sakura relaxed in the water, her mind decided it was a good time to rehash certain previous events in vivid detail. Like her face connecting with a broad, sweaty, _hard_-

Once again Sakura had to forcibly stop her flow of thoughts. Luckily the moment when she fell on top of Kisame had been short-lived or else the awkwardness that would ensue would be too much to handle. Besides, she should be feeling grossed out. He was...beastly. And not at all like normal guys._ '...yeah, he was much bigger, stronger...' _Sakura dunked her head underwater quickly.

_'Good thing I'm leaving. This is all affecting my sanity a bit too much.'_

She would have to consult Ino for a very thorough mental exam. God only knew how many screws were loose in there. At the thought of her friend, Sakura smiled. What new gossip would the girl have waiting for her when she returned? Which new guy was she currently dating? How was her job going in the Intelligence Division? It had been a while since Sakura saw any of her old friends and suddenly she felt lonely. Then she realized she didn't even know how long she'd been missing for. All events prior to Kabuto capturing her were still hazy and try as she might, she couldn't remember them.

But she was returning home and that was all that mattered. Everyone would rejoice. Still, Sakura didn't feel the excitement of that prospect as much as she hoped. _'What is wrong with me?'_

Again, she immersed herself under the cool water.

She finished up quickly and redressed, heading back towards camp. When it came into view, Kisame wasn't sitting at the base of the tree he usually occupied. Sakura looked around for a hint of blue, but didn't see anything. Heading towards the riverbank, she searched the water for him. Suddenly he popped up from under the surface and noticing the pink-haired girl, tossed a fish in her direction.

Sakura caught it awkwardly against her chest, the live creature flopping about in protest. She let it fall onto the ground and watched as it continued to twist its body, opening and closing its mouth feebly. _'Oh God.'_ She gazed at it unsure of what to do. Kisame finally emerged from the water and stood with Sakura, both of them watching the fish pitifully thrash around.

He looked over to the girl. "There's your breakfast."

Sakura opened her mouth to question him, but he was already walking towards the camp. She let her gaze linger on the man, and the way his pants clung to his body, but then returned back to staring at her fishy friend.

_'__The other one.'_

Sakura sighed and picked the fish up, attempting to knock it dead against a flat rock. After a few tries it was still alive, to her great dismay. She wanted to cry. Pride didn't let her ask for help though, and Sakura continued trying to kill it in determination. She would never live it down if Kisame found out she was incapable of killing a stupid fish. After trying and failing again, Sakura started to seriously entertain cooking the little trooper alive in order to save her ever-diminishing dignity. But as soon as she thought it, the fish let out its last breath and stopped moving. Triumphant, the girl grasped it by the tail and waltzed back to camp. Kisame was now dressed and sitting against his usual tree, blank faced as if in thought, not even looking at Sakura as she came into view.

She noticed the lack of fire and started to speak, "Hey, you could've made a fire at least."

"I don't remember that being part of the deal."

Huffing in annoyance, Sakura dropped down and proceeded to make a fire using chakra to cause friction between two stones. She set down some dry brush and the spark grew to a small flame, subsequently growing larger as she set down bigger pieces of wood. She prepared her fish in the way Kisame showed her the day before and began roasting it. She really _was_ hungry and eating would definitely help before she set out towards the east.

As she ate, Sakura realized it was strange that this was going to be their last moment together. She would probably never see him again- unless he decided to continue with the "bad guy" spiel and join some other dastardly organization hell-bent on killing her friends. In that case, their next encounter would be _anything_ but companionable. They would be enemies. Truthfully, they still _were _enemies. Missing-nin with criminal records were on everyone's hit list- especially Hidden Villages.

Sakura peered from under her lowered gaze, observing the man across from her. Could she ever kill him? With everything that they went through? Sure, it wasn't extensive- their time together- but it was still enough time to gain a mutual respect and...something else. Sakura still wasn't sure how to describe her sentiments towards the man. They weren't friends, nor enemies, but perhaps acquaintances. She still feared him, but not in the way she did before. Something changed between them and her perceptions regarding his nature always changed whenever he did something out of the ordinary.

_'Like honor his word and make me breakfast__. Kind of.'_

Finishing up her meal, Sakura itched to say something. To impart some wisdom. Maybe say something epiphany-inducing so he goes from bad-guy-evil-murderer to devout-monk-helping-orphans...guy. Sakura grimaced at the thought of a half-shark man taking care of a bunch of parentless children.

_'Baby steps, Sakura.'_

"Well! Thanks again for the food," she blurted out rather forcibly, too cheery for her own good.

"No problem."

That's it? No clever remarks about how shitty of a fish-killer she was? No jabs at how burnt the meat ended up? Nothing about how funny she looked bearing so many purple spots on her skin from their little fight?

For some reason the lack of personal attacks was making her uncomfortable. She got up abruptly, finally ready to go home. This odd feeling in her chest was really starting to make her antsy and she needed to leave, now.

Clearing her throat, Sakura stood stiffly, announcing her departure.

Kisame just sat, looking towards the river.

Sakura fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

"Well, uh- can you maybe show me to the nearest road at least?"

Sakura said it before she had a chance to realize how stupid the request was. She _knew _where the road was. Either way she awaited his response anxiously- subconsciously hoping he'd say yes.

Kisame responded with his usual "hmph" and rose up wielding Samehada. Sakura didn't need him to say anything to know he agreed to come with her the short way.

_'Well at least this gives me some more time to come up with my amazing words of wisdom.' _

Sakura scratched the back of her head waiting for him to start walking towards the direction of the road. Kisame strode past her and headed off, the kunoichi following a few steps behind. She was still uncomfortable walking side by side with the man, regardless of their platonic relationship. They walked the short distance in silence, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Sakura tried to walk with a bounce to her step to encourage her excitement of going home, but to her chagrin, her efforts were fruitless. She trained her eyes on the red clouds of the black coat ahead of her, and let the shifting fabric lull her into a thoughtless, hypnotic state.

Some time later, grassy ground gave way to gravel and the red clouds stopped moving. Sakura instantly snapped back to reality. Kisame stood, standing to the side with his hands in his pockets, looking at the girl with a stern, unreadable expression on his face. She shifted uncomfortably.

"Just follow this road until you hit a fork, in which case you'll wanna go north," Kisame said languidly.

"Ah. Thank you."

_'...for everything__,' _Sakura thought inwardly.

Silence again.

Then a soft rustling interrupted the stark soundlessness and Kisame cleared his throat, grabbing Sakura's attention.

A metallic ting resounded in the still, afternoon air as the man flicked something towards her. Sakura promptly caught the object.

It was his ring.

"South..." Sakura once again softly whispered the symbol on it.

"So you don't get lost, " Kisame responded.

Sakura looked up at him, eyes wide, curious.

"But you said to go north, not south."

"Yeah, I suppose the ring will remind you which way not to go." Kisame shrugged, unsure of what he was doing anymore.

_'__The ring points to the wrong direction,' _came the voice in the back of Sakura's mind.

Wrong.

Just like this.

Just like us.

A reminder of how wrong this all was.

Sakura gulped, suddenly aware of how dry her throat was. She curled her small fingers around the metal object. There were no words. Just thoughts as they frantically sped around in her mind. She didn't want to deal with this- it was too much.

The girl clutched her hand to her chest and with a burst of speed, bounded past the man who was responsible for so much wrong.

Kisame stood in place as his coat fluttered from the gust of air. He didn't look at the girl as she leapt off, away from him. He exhaled, letting out the breath he held from the moment he gave Sakura his Akatsuki ring.

He was finally free. Finally able to do as he pleased without any setbacks.

A slight saline scent was carried on the wind towards him, hitting his nose.

Kisame closed his eyes and inhaled.


	15. Chapter 15

Kisame returned to the campsite he had just recently shared with one pink-haired medic. It was eerie how her scent lingered there, and he found it unnerving. In fact, he found what just transpired between them to be even _more_ unsettling.

He had given her that stupid Akatsuki ring.

Why? He wasn't sure- it was momentary impulse. Kisame scoffed to himself and kicked the charred remains of wood from where the fire once was. He looked upon the charcoal-black mess and calmed himself. He had control. He had restraint. It was no good to act childish about nothing.

But it wasn't the ring he was concerned about- the thing itself was useless. It was the fact that he had actually _given_ it to her that bothered him so much. Since when did he do such things? It was almost...sentimental.

As soon as he voiced the word in his head, Kisame whipped out Samehada and powerfully smashed the ground in front of him. He was _not_ sentimental. Bits of soil, grass, wood and ashes flew everywhere, leaving a deep vertical crevice in the ground. He frowned, looking at the new mess. He needed to leave this area; it harbored too many unhealthy feelings. Kisame snatched up the remaining rolls of bandages off the ground and stuffed them into his pants angrily.

Not bothering to look back, he leapt off in a new direction- _anywhere_ but here.

.-.-.-.

When Sakura was a good few kilometers away from the spot she had left Kisame, she finally stopped, panting hard. Her lungs burned so much from the exertion, that she felt like vomiting. Her fist was still pressed firmly against her chest and she released her stiffened fingers upon remembering what was inside her palm. Dropping down on her knees, she stared at the object. Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but Sakura blinked them back.

_'What the hell?' _

What happened? Angrily, she threw the metal ring across the grass she sat on and held her head in her palms. This is _not_ how things were supposed to go. Before departing, she was supposed to nod her head curtly at the shark-man and give a short "later!" as she headed down the path at a normal pace. Instead, she ran like some escapee fleeing her kidnapper. And on top of that, she had felt her eyes sting and moisture escape them. What reason did she have to shed a tear? She wasn't attached enough to Kisame in order to feel such emotion upon departing.

Sakura raised her head and looked towards the tall grass ahead of her. She got up and stomped over, looking for the object she threw. Catching sight of the metallic gleam, she picked it up and held it between her forefinger and thumb, glaring at it as if scolding a troublesome child. She then squinted harder, hoping it could give her some answers to her questions, her problems.

It wasn't working.

Sakura wanted to rip her hair out and scream. She shouldn't be making such a fuss over this little trinket, but it was vexing. Why did the shark have to be so damn cryptic all the time and cause her so much distress? Why did he leave this piece of his past with her? Now it would forever serve as a reminder of their time together.

Sakura looked back down at the ring, her vision blurring again.

_'Our time together__...'_

Exactly the problem. Now it was impossible to forget him. Now she was forced to acknowledge the treason of the past few days.

Now she could never forget.

As Sakura looked at the worn little ring in her grip, she realized how plain it looked. Probably made out of just metal, it held no particular value- nor was it a beautiful piece of jewellery. The yellow ochre inset was dull and dingy, harboring the engraved kanji for 'South'. A puzzling combination of symbolism in and of itself; was it supposed to mean something? All Sakura was sure of was that the ring was a fragment of its previous owner's past and now it was in her possession- it had a new life.

The thought alarmed her and her anger flared again.

"I can just get rid of you," she threatened, "I can leave you here, bury you in the ground!"

The ring just stared back at her, unfazed by her bitter words. It was mocking her, as if saying "I dare you".

The girl gritted her teeth in frustration.

_'I can't.'_

She couldn't do it. There was something instinctively wrong about getting rid of it. Once again, the word rang in the recesses of her mind, digging up other things with it. Sakura stilled her frazzled nerves and closed her hand around the ring once more. She wasn't going to throw it away, but she would hide it somewhere just like she hid her unsavory memories in the dark, secretive parts of her brain. Realizing she didn't have her kunai pouch, Sakura took Kisame's ring and shut it away in a small pocket she had in the side of her black shorts. Snapping the metal clasp shut, the ring was safely hidden and would hopefully stop plaguing her thoughts for the rest of her journey- and ideally, forever. She inhaled deeply, letting the rush of oxygen clear her mind and resumed her trip east, this time at a more endurable pace.

She would go on without rest until she was back in the comfort of home.

.-.-.-.

Eventually Kisame found a small, sheltered lake a good distance away from the campsite, and decided to go for another swim while he figured out his next course of action. As he dove into the water and swam deep under, he decided it would be of no use to stay in River Country any longer. He closed his eyes in thought, floating to the surface and laying back, allowing the water to support him as he drifted lazily.

_'Hmm.'_

Every time he tried to think productively, his mind would flash him quick little images of pink. Of sea green. Of powerful, glowing fists and uneasy smiles. Kisame growled at himself. This was not working. His hope of detachment was fading, as it seemed that thinking of even the most unrelated things caused him to subliminally recall the fiery little kunoichi.

Why? She was nothing special- a moody, tomboyish girl with awkward pink straw for hair and knobby knees. Sure, he wasn't much to write home about either, but the Sakura girl was just _not_ his type. So why did his mind betray him like this?

Perhaps it was because her smell still lingered on him.

Kisame looked down at his bare chest remembering how the girl had pressed against him. _Problematic_. In an act of desperation, he took all of his clothes off of the grass and threw them into the water in hopes of ridding himself of all remaining memory of the girl. He washed the garments and then scrubbed himself- diving deep, kicking against the still water harder than necessary.

After deciding he had regained his previous neutral scent, Kisame jumped out of the water, taking his now drenched clothes with him. He donned them regardless, enjoying the way the fabric cooled and weighed him down. Strapping Samehada back into its strap, he prepared to head out once more.

Kisame decided his next course of action was going to be to travel. He would go to different countries to seek out stimuli- maybe indulge in a whore or two. Hopefully something of interest will give him renewed purpose in the process. Maybe he could go sword-collecting? Kisame almost felt Samehada twitch in jealousy at the prospect, and he allowed a small chuckle to escape his lips.

_'No, there's room for only one of those in my life.' _

Either way, travelling would be healthy. He longed for something new, exciting. Above all though, he longed for the sea- the salty smell of the air and the misty humidity. Yes, he would head down towards Tea Country or the islands below.

He patted his sword and prepared to head out- as it was, southwards.

.-.-.-.

It was day two of her trip home, and Sakura lay sprawled out on the grassy floor somewhere in a forest in Fire Country. It was nearing dusk and if she passed out now, she would sleep throughout the night. The girl whimpered weakly at her situation. She sat for another five minutes and then arose once more, intent on making the final leg of her trip before the next day began.

Slowly and gradually, the surroundings began looking more and more familiar. The kunoichi trudged on, encouraged by the now recognizable scenery.

Sakura slowed down after a few minutes, her half-lidded eyes scanning the edges of the road for something particular. Finally finding what she was looking for, she walked up to a large rock near the path. It was shaped like a perched bird and it was one of a few landmarks which served to gauge distance when returning from a mission. She sat on it, taking a break and touched the dented surface. Every once in a while when she went on a mission, she would stop by this particular rock and carve something into it with a kunai- a sort of memento of what happened. She thumbed over the engraved markings, remembering each one and what it signified. Sakura laughed quietly as she saw a primitive ostrich scratched into the rock- a documentation of a peculiar ostrich-retrieval mission Team Seven was sent on as genin.

Suddenly frowning, Sakura put her wandering hands in her lap observing her fingertips.

What was there to engrave this time?

The girl swallowed and rose up quickly, brushing off debris from her clothes.

_'Not like I even have a kunai.'_

Sakura let out a sad laugh. What a pitiful ninja she was reduced to. Luckily it was going to be night time when she returned home; it would be outright mortifying to be seen like this by too many people. She was a kunoichi returning from a mission without even a _kunai_ to her name. Not to mention her mission was a failure, she had been taken hostage, helped the enemy and didn't even have her last remaining symbol of pride- her Konoha headband. Sakura hastily returned to the ever-beaten path leading east and continued her pace more quickly, despite her extreme exhaustion. She was close- Konoha was only a few kilometers away and regardless of her state, she needed to be back.

.-.-.-.

When large green gates came into view in the distance, Sakura nearly collapsed from relief. She pumped chakra into her feet to force them to move. As she neared, they opened; someone had finally taken note of her presence.

It was Kotetsu. He stood with a confused expression on his face and then as recognition dawned on him, he spoke.

"S-Sakura..?"

The girl had no energy at this point to do much more. She groaned weakly in response and fell- finally reassured that she was in safe hands.

.-.-.-.

_"No! I won't stoop to Danzou's level. Look at her! God only knows what the poor girl has been through. We wait, and that's final."_

_"I apologize, Hokage-sama."_

_"Hng! I need a drink. Get Ino's ass in here while I'm gone."_

Sakura's mind was a hazy half-dream. She could make out snippets of conversations and other sounds but none of it was substantial enough to awaken her. After some time, her senses sharpened and she could smell familiar linen, hear the beeping of the monitor-

Sakura shot up from her lying position. Her eyelids felt like lead but she forced them open. She needed to see; needed the assurance that she was okay, that she was back to normal, at home.

Upon seeing the pasty green walls of her workplace, her heart swelled and Sakura wanted to cry and never stop. Oh, how she used to despise that particular paint color, but now wanted to bask in its pale familiarity. It wasn't a dream.

_'Home, at last. I made it.'_

Sakura visibly relaxed and fell back onto the pillow. Everything was going to be as it once was. No more need to worry about anything. She suddenly noticed nobody was in the hospital room with her. Sakura's eyes shot to the window- it was daylight. She leaked some chakra out into her fingers, testing its function. Her face lit up when she saw the green aura and she flexed her hand triumphantly. Her toes flexed next, and Sakura felt even better. She was home and healthy. She wanted to go find all her friends and show them she came back- prove to them she was a strong shinobi.

_'Well, no use lying here__ uselessly. Time to go find Tsunade-shishou.'_

As soon as she thought it, someone opened the door.

"..."

"Oh my God! Sakura!"

None other than her friend Ino was standing in the doorway, looking shocked. Sakura smiled weakly and prepared for the vice grip of her friend's hug.

"Oh my God, you're okay! We all thought- We just didn't know! It was like you disappeared without a trace! And Naruto and Kakashi-sen-"

"Ino..."

Sakura was happy to see her but Ino was quite good at going on and on nonsensically when she felt a surge of emotion. The now teary blonde loosened her grip and got up, wiping her eyes. She kept her hands on Sakura's and just looked at her friend with a weary smile. She was in her usual attire, tweaked slightly for her more serious job at Intel; that meant no more midriff-showing shirts. Aside from the wardrobe change, Sakura noted how much older her friend looked then- her face was one that had seen into the minds of many a shinobi. And for people in their line of work, the images were anything but pleasant.

Ino stopped smiling and looked down in her lap as if pondering how to phrase whatever she would say next. Sakura had questions of her own, but upon seeing her friend's uncharacteristic shift in behavior, she was curious to hear what Ino would say.

"We-we thought you were gone Sakura."

Ino's face looked genuinely distraught and Sakura's sheepish grin faded. What was going on?

"Geez Ino, I'm Tsunade's apprentice," Sakura said it light-heartedly, feeling uneasy at the suddenly gloomy mood, "Besides, it's not like I was gone _that_ long..."

Sakura laughed forcibly, trying to mask her growing nervousness. Truthfully, she could have died _easily_ in captivity, but now was not the time to mull over the "what-ifs".

Ino looked up at her friend suddenly aware of something.

"Sakura, you don't know, do you..? You've been gone for over two months. We thought you weren't coming back."

"Wait, _what_?"

"Yeah! Your mission was only supposed to take, like, two _days_! And we never got any reports back- either from the commissioner or yourself. Everyone looked for you, but it was like there was no trace of your existence anywhere. Not even Kakashi's dogs could sense anything..!"

Sakura swallowed hard, digesting this newly disturbing information. She repeated it in her mind several times, branding it in her brain as it caused her to break out in a cold sweat. _Two months. _How? It only seemed like a few days! No more than a week, even. That meant... Kabuto- he must have had her kidnapped for a while before she awoke in that dingy cell with-

"Please Sakura, tell me what happened."

Sakura's face was now grim and pale. Her eyes blinked rapidly as her mind still raced trying to piece together the puzzle. None of this made sense.

_'Two months. Two whole months? What did Kabuto do to me during that time? How could nobody find me?'_

She swallowed in an attempt to moisten her now dry throat. Sakura wanted to vomit.

"Ino-" The pink-haired girl spoke evenly, her voice betraying her booming heart which threatened to jump out of her thoracic cavity. Everything that had happened was just warranting a downpour of tears but Sakura held back. Instead, she noticed her friend starting to cry instead as she held on to the bed's railing- her hand trembled.

"Sakura- we had your funeral..."

Funeral.

_'Funeral?'_

Sakura's heart sank to the pits of her stomach as the words echoed in her hollow mind. The gravity of Ino's admission struck her like a ton of bricks. _'They thought I died?'_ Her vision was blurring and threatening to black out completely. She struggled against it- this time, she couldn't escape from reality, couldn't allow herself to just pass out and allow the rest of the world to deal with her misery. This time she had to face her problems. Besides, it's not every day one comes back from the dead.

The blonde paused. finally noticing her friend's distress and grabbed Sakura's hand in a comforting manner.

Sakura closed her eyes firmly and slid down beneath the covers. She needed to think. She needed someone level-headed to explain everything in full detail. Ino let go of her hand and observed as Sakura tried to hide under the linens.

"Sakura, I know how you must feel right now, but I'm here to help, okay?"

Either way, Sakura didn't feel like dealing with this right now. She desperately needed to think things through and Ino's emotions were rubbing off on her and threatening to trigger a nervous breakdown in Sakura. She needed time. Alone.

"I'm tired, Ino. I need some time to think."

Sniffing and wiping her eyes, Ino nodded knowingly and rose from her seat ready to leave. She smiled faintly at her friend as she made her way out the door.

"I'm just so glad you're okay. I'll be back in the evening"

"Thanks. Oh, and don't tell anyone I woke up."

"Okay."

As Ino shut the door, Sakura turned to face the window, brow furrowed in frustration. The feeling of relief she felt upon awakening was gone, now replaced by a burdened anxiety. She was still tired but her disturbed thoughts wouldn't let her sleep, even though that was the desired route she wanted to take. Sleep. Unconsciousness.

_Escape._

Escape from all the explanations, memories, betrayals, duties...

The door reopened again and Ino came back into the room- seemingly having forgotten something. She leaned into the open doorway and whispered seriously.

"Sakura, I forgot to tell you... Danzou is being adamant about you doing a mental evaluation. He's all over Tsunade about it, and ordered as soon as you wake up, to get you to Intel Headquarters."

"Oh..."

"Yeah, he wanted to do it the night you got here but Tsunade convinced him to wait."

Sakura just turned her gaze from her blonde friend down to her lap. She forgot about this, but it was inevitable.

"Do I have to do it now?"

"Well, as soon as higher-ups find out you're awake..."

Sakura sighed. She wouldn't have much time to go over things, it seemed.

All she wanted to do was forget about the past events- to put them behind her and move on. Alas, now she would have to give detailed information to the Intel team about her whereabouts and Sakura felt a cold panic arise. What would they all think of her after she explained what happened?

She began making scenarios in her head about what she'd be asked. They'd likely probe her mind in case someone had done something to her in order to damage Konoha. Ever since Suna suffered one of their head council members, Yura, becoming one of Akatsuki's sleeper agents, all Hidden Villages were thereby required to do mental probes on their kidnapped nin. Such was protocol regardless of how trusted or high-rank a shinobi was. And considering she had actually consorted with an Akatsuki member... well she had her work cut out for her.

_'Ex-Akatsuki__,' _Sakura mentally reminded herself.

_'__Yeah, as if that makes him any more trustable.'_

Sakura sighed to herself upon remembering the blue-skinned man. She decided not to think any further about him. Everything that transpired between them was over and done with, and at most, the events of the past few days just confused her and made her feel uncomfortable. It was best to lock those memories away- for the time being anyway.

Sakura resumed thinking about how questioning would go when the door suddenly burst open and hit the wall with a loud bang. She closed her eyes.

_'It's either Naruto or Tsunade.'_

"Sakura!"

_'Ah.'_

"Shishou."

Alas, one could never entrust Ino with keeping her mouth closed for long. Sakura inwardly grumbled.

Quickly, heeled clicks made their way across to Sakura's bedside and stopped as Tsunade looked at her student with concerned sternness- but to Sakura's trained eyes she may as well have been weeping with joy. She allowed herself to smile at her master. Suddenly that burden on her shoulders lightened a little- after all, it felt good to be cared about. Tsunade's own face softened and she leaned in, hugging her former student tightly.

No words were spoken as Tsunade released the quick embrace then gave Sakura a once-over with her potent chakra, feeling around for any serious damage. She checked the monitors and seeming pleased with the results, began unhooking Sakura from the saline drip.

"You don't even want to know how much sake I drank because of you," Tsunade spoke with a wavering tone as she worked. A tension released from her as she spoke and then she chuckled, albeit sadly.

Sakura laughed with her. It was good to know things hadn't changed with her mentor at least. If everyone thought Sakura had died, Tsunade would have been one of the most affected by it. The kunoichi was about to ask her shishou about it but was cut off.

"How do you feel Sakura? Can you walk?"

"I think so. I feel fine, just a bit tired."

Sakura wondered why Tsunade wasn't asking her about what happened, but decided to wait it out. Instead she scooted to the side of the bed and dangled her legs, letting the blood rush into them.

Tsunade observed her former student closely and while inspecting her limbs, sighed rubbing her temples. Sakura had seen Tsunade like this only a handful of times, and it was indicative of tremendous stress. She was curious about her shishou's hastiness but had an idea about what the cause was. Tsunade rose, putting her hands on her hips in her usual fashion and spoke. Her authoritative pose betrayed her apologetic face.

"Sakura, I hate to tell you this, but we have to go to Intel as soon as possible. The council has been pushing me and there's only so much time I can buy..."

"I know. I'm ready- it's really not a big deal," Sakura reassured herself more than anyone else.

"There's a fresh change of clothes there on the nightstand. Shizune found them in your locker. Go wash up, I'll wait outside the door."

Sakura looked over to where Tsunade pointed and quickly grabbed the folded clothes, heading towards the small washroom. When she was dressed and cleaned, she walked out rejoining her mentor outside the door.

"I'm sorry about this- you know it's not up to me."

"It's okay."

"I have to be one of the witnesses."

Sakura frowned. Great, now there would be an audience presiding over her mental violation?

Tsunade began walking, prompting Sakura to do the same. Apparently this really _was_ urgent. Were they really this untrusting of her? Sakura fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. Suddenly she was feeling more nervous than before. Her absence for such a long period of time must have alarmed everyone that information on Konoha could have leaked out. She was probably considered a rogue nin before they deemed her "dead". Sakura refrained from biting her nails.

Surprisingly quickly, they came to the Intelligence Headquarters. None other than Ibiki greeted them at the door and they walked in following him. It was the first time Sakura had ever been in the building and her curious eyes scanned the interior. It was plain looking and empty, and as they walked through a corridor, she noticed many doors lining either side of the narrow hall. Eventually, Ibiki stopped and opened one of them, motioning the two women inside.

The room was large and strangely, everything from the walls, floor and ceiling was painted black. In the center was a table and chairs, and Sakura realized some familiar faces filled some of the seats. Shikamaru, two of the council elders and Inoichi sat in them and all eyes were trained on her. Sakura gazed at the matte black floor. Tsunade walked over to one of the chairs and also sat down, but not before reassuringly squeezing the kunoichi's shoulder.

Sakura was motioned by Ibiki to sit on a single chair behind the table. As she did so, she felt even more uncomfortable- now she was the center of attention. The room was dark and Ibiki turned on a lamp which sat on the table. Sakura wanted to throw up- it was like she was being put on trial.

From one prison to another, it seemed.

Ibiki sat on the edge of the table and began with the standard questions. Name. Date. Age. Profession. Home address.

Sakura answered with as much determination as she could muster from her trembling body. After that, he asked specifics about her mission. What was the objective? Who was the target? The room was silent save for Ibiki's voice and the scratching of pen on paper every time she answered a question. Sakura chewed her lip trying to think out her answers before she spoke them, but Ibiki pushed on, not giving her that luxury.

"Did you retrieve the document?"

"...I don't know."

"You don't remember?"

"No."

Sakura could feel the eyes on her- could see the dust motes floating softly in the lamp's light. The leaded strokes of pencil hitting paper were as loud as thunder to her ears. She noticed Inoichi was now standing to her right and she started to sweat. Ibiki spoke again.

"Explain what happened after you failed your mission."

She gulped. Her saliva felt impossibly thick.

"I woke up. I woke up in a cell-"

"Anything before that?"

"I don't remember."

"Continue."

Thereon, Sakura recalled what happened. She could sense everyone's shock at the mention of Kabuto and his intent to use her, but she kept the events vague. There were a lot more "I don't knows" from her end, but Ibiki remained ever patient. She stopped her tale after she told them about fainting at the lab during the chakra transplant, purposely leaving out Sasuke and the proceeding events. It was futile considering what insight they would soon get, but Sakura didn't want to utter the words from her mouth.

There was a noticeable uneasiness in the room and the kunoichi couldn't determine whether it was from her recollection of events or something else.

"Haruno Sakura. We have to do a mental evaluation to get the entire story and to assure there are no enemy jutsus embedded therein," came Ibiki's monotone voice.

_'__Nothing to fear, Sakura. You did nothing wrong.'_

She reassured herself feebly in the few seconds she had to think to herself. Then she tried to mentally prepare herself- to even her breathing and still her heart, but it just made her sweat even more. After all, how does one prepare for having one's mind violated? She was fearful of what secrets they would find- not only about her kidnapping. Suddenly, self-consciousness hit her hard and she wanted to cry. She summoned all her energy into not doing so, as she was in the company of many who respected her as a strong kunoichi. Inoichi stood over her with his hand outstretched above her head, preparing to start.

"Relax and clear your mind, Sakura."

Her heart beat impossibly fast and she couldn't stop it nor her frantic thoughts. Inoichi spoke with a warmth to his tone unlike his partner, but it still did not ease Sakura's anxiousness.

"I need you to think back. Think back to the day you left Konoha for your mission. Try to envision it as vividly as you can."

Sakura gritted her teeth as she felt tendrils of chakra fishing around in her brain. Nothing she could have done could have prepared her for the eerie feeling. It was true rape. She forced herself to focus, lest her thoughts bring up memories of things he shouldn't see. Sakura put all of her will into painting a mental image of that day in her mind. She made sure to include every detail- down to who she remembered talking to on her way to the Konoha gates from her apartment. As she brought up each fragment of her memory, she could physically feel Inoichi's chakra recording it, sucking the information up into his own mind. Sakura felt ill- the probing chakra was like a cold electricity and it made her feel numb. She was so scared- scared of divulging anything too private, too personal.

Scared of her own mind.

Sakura clutched the arms of the metal chair she sat in and felt as Inoichi "read" her day as she left Konoha, as she made her way west into her near-doom. Inoichi read her thoughts like a book- digging up the memories she didn't fill in herself. As things got hazy for her own recollection, she gave up control and let him discover the rest. Sakura felt exactly like she did the day she woke up in Kabuto's cell, physically paralyzed. This was much worse though; at least Kabuto didn't violate her mind like this- didn't delve into her innermost thoughts and memories.

Sakura felt like she was watching a movie of her life play inside her mind. Memories which were forgotten to her were suddenly coming up as Inoichi unearthed them. She watched as an image of herself leapt through trees towards Ame, to a small village nearby where some thieves would be. There, she was to retrieve a stolen document and return it to a wealthy landlord. Inoichi searched her brain for an image of the landlord's face, but came up empty. Under all her distress about her mental evaluation, Sakura was becoming increasingly curious herself about the events of her mission. Each memory that came up was new to her as if it never actually happened. She continued to watch as her mind's self walked into a tavern and found some shady men seated at a table- presumably the thieves. As soon as her mind locked on to one of the men's faces, her thought process stopped and Sakura's vision turned black.

The girl's seated body froze and her eyes widened in response. Inoichi grunted, his jutsu breaking and he jumped back as if burned. Everyone shot up from their seats at the sudden development and looked at the pink-haired medic.

She sat upright unmoving. Tsunade rushed over, alarmed. This was definitely _not_ normal.

"Inoichi! What happened!"

Tsunade yelled desperately shaking the frozen girl. She checked for a pulse and noticed it was gone.

Inoichi stammered, also unsure of what occurred, "It was going fine until I locked in on a certain part..!"

"I need to get her to the hospital _immediately_!" Tsunade had already grabbed Sakura's now limp body and was preparing to leave.

"Wait, Tsunade-sama!" came Inoichi's voice, but Tsunade was already out the door. He ran after the frantic woman, Shikamaru following after him.

The usually stoic Ibiki clenched his jaw uneasily, especially after seeing the council members exchange their knowing looks. They all seemed to suspect the same thing: this was all too indicative of enemy involvement.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys, I'm back! I had a wicked time in Cuba, but sadly I'm now back in -30 degree weather :'(

Anyway, I had to get over some hardcore writer's block in this chapter and in the end I'm not really 100% pleased with it but hopefully the next one will be more exciting. Shit's going dooooown! btw, I'm so happy to see my new reviews. And this chapter was dedicated to laura en eryn for being so impatient lol :P

Peace!


	16. Chapter 16

A blue-skinned man sat on a rock overlooking the sea. His large hand dipped down into shallow water, fished out a pebble and with a flick of the wrist, aimed it into the distant waves. Kisame watched as the pebble skipped far across the water's surface and eventually fell in, like the demise of many before it. He was thoroughly drenched by the persistently crashing waves, having spent the past two hours incessantly skipping stones into the waters before him. The man didn't notice being wet though- his thoughts were elsewhere.

Kisame's current stop was Taro Island, one of the many islands in Sea Country. After having spent a couple of months traveling around the coastal countries, he was already growing tired of it. The sea calmed him, and he spent most of his time on secluded beaches far from civilization, but he grew restless quickly. Kisame avoided people, only interacting with them when he needed lodging or a drink. He felt hollow, uninterested- everywhere he went, he quickly got bored and needed to move on. It was all so uneventful. Nothing ever happened. Nothing interesting anyway. Even when he'd yearn for a good fight, shinobi were rare in these areas since they lacked hidden villages, and Kisame was left fighting petty criminals who decided to pick a fight with the wrong person. In the end, he found no joy in any of his activities- no satisfaction, no passion. But today, he came to a conclusion about his strange apathy.

He was lonely.

Kisame allowed himself to admit it now. With Itachi, he at least had someone to talk to, regardless of how introverted the man was. Conversations were usually one-sided, but it felt good to have a companion around nonetheless. After defecting from Akatsuki, he was left alone and purposeless. He didn't necessarily have friends in the organization, but he could admit to having a few associates who he enjoyed talking to every once in a while. Now it would be impossible to reconvene with any of them even if he wanted to, since most of the ones he was on friendly terms with were dead. Well, except for...

_'Konan.'_

Kisame picked up another smooth stone and aimed it at the expanse of blue before him absently.

He had forgotten about the woman. During their time in Akatsuki, they went along well enough- despite her usual cold demeanor. They had had a few conversations about politics, philosophies and the like, but other than that he didn't know what happened of her. After Pein was killed, she left Akatsuki and allegedly took on the role of being leader for Amegakure; aside from that, Kisame knew no more of her fate.

Perhaps he would find out. If Konan was still alive, she would be the last associate he had left in the world. Besides, he had a few unanswered questions he wanted to ask about Akatsuki, and maybe she would have the answers he sought. Kisame finally rose up from his seat. It was a shame to have to leave; he often pined for this sort of sea-side solitude when he would wander about with Itachi, but now he was too plagued by other things to enjoy the scenery fully. Perhaps some other time when his mind was clear, he would return, but now he still had things to do. Kisame threw one last pebble, watching as the waves devoured it and turned his back. The journey towards Rain would be long.

.-.-.-.

Sakura sat on her bed in her tiny apartment picking at her bowl of now cold rice with her fork, lost in thought. Feeling the familiar chakra signature still looming outside her bedroom window, she decided she had enough. With a furious gleam in her eye she slammed the rice bowl down on her nightstand, stomped over to the window and violently drew back the sliding glass.

As soon as she did, the chakra disappeared.

Sakura bit her lip hard, trying her hardest not to scream and shred her curtains apart. It had been two months. _Two months_ and _six days_ of constant surveillance. She tried to cope with it- tried to ignore the different chakra presence she felt around her every day, following her every move- but now she was at her boiling point. This was no way to live- and in her own hometown of all places.

Ever since the day of her mental evaluation- when she was knocked unconscious mysteriously- Root shinobi had attached themselves to her like leeches. Inoichi's mind jutsu was somehow dispelled at a certain point and it caused her to lose consciousness. After she was revived, Ino had told her secretly about such an occurrence to be consistent with a mind-blocking barrier, in which someone could block off certain memories when they are triggered- clearly, indicative of someone wanting to hide something. Sakura had no recollection of the memory, and was now openly distrusted by Danzo and his followers.

Sakura sighed deeply and made for the door. Today she would go to Tsunade and demand a change, at least concerning the constant surveillance- she desperately needed some breathing space. Surely, enough time had passed for everyone to realize she wasn't a threat anymore. Also after the incident at Intel, was the beginning of a long string of interrogations. She was met with round after round of questioning and monitoring because of the strange nature of her blackout. Countless theories were made about why it happened, but eventually, the reports were written stating it was because of "fatigue".

Still unsatisfied, Danzo demanded another mental probe, and as much opposition he received for the request, it was passed and Sakura was subjected to go through the process again. Strangely, this time nothing went wrong. The only problem was, most of Sakura's memory of events prior to being kidnapped by Kabuto were now completely missing. Aside from that, Intel did unfortunately get their hands on what happened after. They found out about Kisame and most of what transpired those few days. Sakura tried her hardest to resist giving them every detail in her mind, but they still got a good chunk of it. Needless to say, eyebrows were raised.

.-.-.-._flashback_.-.-.-.

"Sakura, you spent considerable time with the Akatsuki member Hoshigaki Kisame," Ibiki spoke evenly. Sakura wasn't sure if he was asking her a question- he knew the answer anyway.

This time, there were no witnesses presiding over her interrogation, except for a young woman who had to document everything in type for the records. Undoubtedly, it would be scrutinized later by Danzo.

Ibiki continued after Sakura stayed silent.

"You realize who this man is, correct?"

"Yes."

"You are aware that he is a dangerous, S-class criminal wanted in five countries?"

_'Your point?'_

"Yes, I do."

Ibiki placed his scarred hands onto the table between them and looked into her eyes, causing Sakura to shift uncomfortably.

"Why did you remain in the company of this criminal for so long? Were you not free to go as you chose?"

Sakura gulped at the loaded but inevitable question. She had asked herself that once, but couldn't find a logical answer.

_'Because he bothered to take me with him after killing Kabuto?'_

_'Because I was injured?'_

_'Because I was scared?'_

_'Because I didn't want to be alone?'_

_'Because__ in the end, he wasn't all that bad.'_

Sakura looked at the polished dark cherry wood in front of her- at the reflection staring back. She had bags under her eyes and her cheek bones had sunken in slightly. She just wanted these interrogations to end and go back to living how she once used to. Licking her dry lips, Sakura responded.

"I was scared he would kill me if I tried to leave," she lied.

Ibiki was unmoved by her deadpan response. He cleared his throat and continued.

"Well, this works out in our advantage. Since Kisame is still wanted by Konoha, you will be required to give any and all information you have on him and Akatsuki to us."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly as Ibiki produced a stapled booklet of papers and slapped it down onto the table in front of her.

"In here- you will provide this information. Absolutely every last piece of intelligence you have on Hoshigaki Kisame and his affiliates will be written in this booklet. There are many questions inside and attempt to answer each one as detailed as you can. The more we have, the better chance we have at capturing him."

Ibiki then gave her a pen and left for the door, promising to return in an hour. The young woman at the typewriter left too and Sakura was left alone staring down at the booklet for a few moments. Her eyes quickly flashed across some text on the first page:

'...of the enemy in question.'

Again, she scanned the page, fearful of its contents.

'Describe in detail any speech impediments, slang-usage, and verbal style in general.'

Sakura's eyes continued grazing the page, not letting any of the words really sink in. She flipped the pages casually and noticed on one there was an outline of a man-shape. Somewhat curious, she let her eyes settle on it and read the question that explained its purpose.

'Question 18. iii) Using the blank outline of the figure below, illustrate and denote any scars, markings, tattoos, and/or other body modifications.'

The girl closed her eyes. She tried incredibly hard to forget the time she spent with Kisame, and so far she had been doing extremely well. Not once since her return did she allow her mind to wander to thoughts of him. Now, she was being forced into describing every minute detail about the man and it made her want to vomit. She didn't know why she was feeling so strongly still- nothing happened between them and she should be able to give a few details on him for her own _village_!

It was the least she could do. It would be the tiniest act of redemption if her information on an enemy could lead to his ultimate capture. Danzo would likely loosen his leash on her if he saw her genuine cooperation. And she needed that redemption desperately if she was going to be trusted again.

But, as thoughts of the man flooded back into Sakura's memory and saturated it with his image, she struggled not to collapse under the turmoil she felt. This would not be so cut and dry, because Kisame was not her enemy. If he was Konoha's foe, so be it- but Sakura could not consider him as _hers_. He was the man who got her out of Kabuto's dungeon. He could've killed her; could've left her there to her own devices, but it was because he bothered with her at _all_ that she still felt indebted. Even now as she looked at the blank pages of the condemning booklet, she could not betray this stranger in favor of her own birthplace. The fact was, while Konoha was busy having her funeral, her enemy was saving her from it.

_'Huh.'_

Sakura quirked a small smile. These were heretic thoughts, but for once since she was back in Konoha after her ordeal, she felt in control. These were her thoughts and no amount of surveillance could ever expose them to anyone. For once, Konoha's ideals were wrong. She would not sell out the man who saved her from her doom- regardless of who he was. Sakura took the pen, clicked it closed and set it on top of the still-empty booklet. She crossed her arms, leaned back into the chair and let her mind fill with blue for the next forty-five minutes.

.-.-.-._end flashback_.-.-.-.

Sakura continued her route towards the Hokage's building as she recalled the past months' events. There was much disappointment after her failure to provide any intelligence on Kisame, but she had just barely gotten away with justifying it as amnesia. She couldn't remember- and that was her final answer. And they couldn't fish around in her brain any more, since each time they did, there was a risk for permanent memory loss and brain damage on her end. Besides, her memories of Kisame were kept on such a tight lock that they had only gotten small glimpses of their time together. Sakura smirked at the thought, satisfied.

Sadly though, she was still being watched. The security council still found Sakura threatening enough to employ shifts of surveillance shinobi to follow the kunoichi wherever she went. She frowned- it was all because of Danzo.

The average Konoha citizen would not be able to say they even recognized his name, but the majority of village security was in his hands. He was their dirty secret- one of them, anyway- that wasn't openly talked about. As drastic as his measures usually were, nobody openly opposed the man. Frankly, his dark methods proved to be the most effective and his Root Division was adequately trained. As a result, Konoha had remained unscathed for years- something rare for any hidden village.

Where was the Konoha she had learned about in the Academy? Each time Sakura thought she knew something about her village, she became disillusioned by the truth. Nobody talked about things like how powerless the Hokage actually was, how they were merely a symbol of power, which was secretly being manipulated by those who resided in the dark. Or, how whenever a young shinobi dropped down dead due to "heart failure" there was more than met the eye. Nobody spoke about distrust among peers, brain probing, or torture. Nobody mentioned the emotionless squadrons of shinobi assassins who were once orphans, now employed by Danzo under the name 'Root'. No, all that was drilled into their minds since the first days of training as ninja, was the famed "Will of Fire" and how one had to have it in order to be a true citizen of Konoha. In their young eyes, their village was a beacon of justice and light- and it was everyone else who harbored dark secrets.

Was it all just propaganda?

Sakura wasn't sure, not yet anyway, but as the days went on she was growing more and more suspicious.

_'Maybe because I have all this time on my hands.'_

It was true. She wasn't allowed to go back to working at the hospital since her return, and it was starting to show, apparently. She was in limbo, and not even her friends would come hang out with her as often as they once did.

Even all the "Good morning, Sakura-chan!" greetings she once got on her way to the hospital were few and far between now. Sakura brushed it off as people getting used to her being alive, since they deemed her dead only a couple of months back. So of course people would feel a bit strange at her return.

_'Yes, that was it.'_

Either way, she still had Naruto, Kakashi and even Sai. They remained unwavering in their support and friendship. Sometimes Sakura would want to mention seeing Sasuke, but quickly stopped herself. There was nothing good about that encounter and she herself wished she could forget it. Besides, she didn't know what happened after she fainted when seeing him, and it was best not to speculate. Within time, she successfully managed to forget most of that memory altogether. Sasuke would remain as he once was in her mind- an angst-ridden yet still loyal and caring young man who would do anything for his friends.

Sakura finally walked up the steps up towards her shishou's office, and saw Shikamaru heading down towards her.

"Yo, Sakura."

"Hey Shikamaru."

"I was actually on my way to look for you."

Sakura looked confused, "Me? Why?"

"Tsk, something classified. I don't know, take it up with Tsunade."

The poor guy looked bored as ever but slightly irritated as if he had a lot on his plate. It must have been difficult for him since he became a sort of ambassador, helping resolve issues between the two conflicting sides of Konoha. He was a mediator who helped the two sides agree and therefore avoid any strains within power. He was also responsible for the Tactical sector where complex missions were concerned. All in all, he of all her peers had the most responsibility as a jounin, which was ironic considering he was always the lazy one growing up.

Sometimes people really _weren't_ as they seemed.

"Thanks, Shikamaru. Say hi to Ino and Chouji for me."

Sakura smiled at the man, she was glad he was one of the few that didn't doubt her trustworthy character after her return.

"Sure. Later."

With that he waved and left.

Sakura continued into the building and noticed an ANBU guard casually step a few feet behind her. He said nothing, but Sakura knew what he was there for- she was used to it by now. Every time she went to see Tsunade, an ANBU guard would always conveniently show up, apparently headed the same way as her. This was no accident though. The man behind her followed the girl as she came to the double doors of Tsunade's office.

"Come in Sakura," came her mentor's voice on the other side.

The kunoichi turned her head towards the direction of the guard, and he just looked away as if suddenly intrigued by something on the walls. Rolling her eyes, she walked in closing the doors behind her.

Tsunade looked up from her desk and smiled at her student. Sakura's heart leapt up excitedly- the older woman only looked like this when she had good news.

"I'm happy to say, after negotiating with the council, they are willing to let you have your job back."

Sakura beamed.

"Really? What about the surveillance? Will they stop following me around now?"

"Now, now. Apparently you're not in the clear just yet," Tsunade trailed off, taking a swig of what appeared to be tea, "You're being sent on a mission first."

_'...mission?'_ Sakura looked perturbed, face ridden with suspicion.

Tsunade cleared her throat and continued. Sakura could see no concern in her shishou's face, so she un-tensed a little.

"Yes, mission. _Diplomatic_ mission, to be exact. You'll be going to Amegakure to cement relations with its new leader Konan. There are some ominous rumors going around and we need all the allies we can get at this point."

Sakura stared at her mentor sceptically. Ame. She was required to go back into the country where her last mission was. Something seemed off. Why didn't they send someone else?

"Something wrong, Sakura?"

Remembering how the walls had ears, Sakura refrained from confirming that yes, something was wrong.

"No, nothing wrong. I'm just surprised."

Tsunade waved her hands at her dismissively, "Look, it's a simple mission and you will be accompanied by one of the top ANBU shinobi, so there's nothing to worry about. After it's over, things will return to normal again and you'll be stationed at the hospital like usual. God knows, that new intern I hired is creating more damage than good..."

The Hokage trailed off, mostly murmuring to herself as she glanced at her stack of paperwork. Then she looked up as if remembering something.

"Oh, and Taiki, come!"

Sakura watched as a man in standard ANBU garb materialized in front of Tsunade's desk obediently.

"Tsunade-sama."

"This is the girl you'll be accompanying tomorrow," she informed him.

"Tomorrow?" came Sakura's cracking voice.

"Yes, tomorrow morning you are to leave, so make sure to pack early."

After explaining a few more details about the mission, both shinobi were dismissed. Nothing seemed amiss about the mission itself, but something still plagued Sakura as she left the building, making her way back home. She decided it was best not to think about it lest some new ugly truth arise about her situation- something which seemed to be happening more and more lately. Her mind drifted to another truth, though.

Tonight she was alone. Most of her friends were off on missions and she was particularly missing Naruto. Before heading out on missions, they had made it a sort of tradition to meet up the day before and have ramen or something. It was a nice way to keep in touch since she became a medic.

She missed their talks, she missed his easy-going nature and how optimistic he always was. Sakura needed someone like him to help put her mind at ease about this whole situation. Unfortunately, she had only gotten one chance to see him since her return; he was always being sent off to do more training or some other gargantuan feat nobody else was capable of. He was gone along with Sai and Kakashi and suddenly Sakura felt depressed. It had been so long since she was included in any of Team Seven's affairs, and it was making her feel left out. Her thoughts were gradually darkening and sinking, until she noticed something.

She wasn't being followed. There was no chakra presence looming over her. Was she finally off the hook? Would her life resume normally again?

Sakura quickened her pace homewards. Whatever the case, she couldn't let her guard down too easily.

.-.-.-.

The next morning, Sakura headed towards the main gates, her backpack bulging with the plethora of items she packed- after all, this was going to be a week-long mission and she had to be prepared. The ANBU, Taiki, was already waiting for her by the entrance with his arms crossed and mask still in place.

"Morning."

Sakura didn't say anything, mostly too preoccupied with finding a way to position her bag so it wouldn't break her spine.

"Need a hand?"

"I'm fine. Lets head out."

He then lifted his crow mask, revealing his face.

"I'm Taiki by the way!"

Sakura looked at the man with a quirked brow. He was uncharacteristically cheery for someone in ANBU. He smiled widely at her and held out his hand in greeting.

"Uhh, nice to meet you. I'm Sakura," she responded and shook the extended hand.

"Well, off to Ame, I guess!"

They signed out with Kotetsu and Izumo, and proceeded out the large green gates.

* * *

**A/N**: Hey everyone. Man, am I ever struggling with this story. I respect all my favourite writers so much more now haha! I can't believe how difficult it is to write a good plot and connect things. Way harder than it looks :x

I wanted to say, in my story, Konoha's invasion by Pein didn't happen. Nor will it. Let's just assume Pein and Konan turned "good" some other way. Naruto still had something to do with it, but it didn't involve the destruction of Konoha. Hope that cleared some stuff up.

Anyway. I hope you guys liked this installment and anticipate the next one soon (I've already written some of it).


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N**: This chapter will contain direct spoilers from the manga chapter 507. Not like my story doesn't have spoilers in it anyway, but you've been warned!

Oh and as another note, you might get kinda confused by my use of _Ame_ and _Amegakure_. Apparently Amegakure (hidden village in the rain) is situated in a still-unnamed country. But, most people- me now included- will refer to the country as just Ame (Rain). So Amegakure is in Ame! Confusing? Yes.

Enjoy the story!

* * *

"Hoshigaki-san."

"..."

"Why don't you come eat with us?"

_Great_. The Kaori girl was at it again, trying to include him in their mundane activities.

"Don't bother being friendly with me," he responded quickly.

"We're all on the same mission, it doesn't matter what our jobs-"

His so called-comrades started snickering between themselves as they played cards a few feet away- listening in on the conversation. Kisame was used to this though, it was the price to pay for being the different one.

"He doesn't fit in with the secret Intel squad, Kaori, just leave him."

"Yeah, we're the brains, he's the brawn. We've got nothing to talk about."

The _brawn_. A killing machine. A tool.

It didn't bother him. Truth was truth and there was nothing to be insulted for.

Later, when the enemy came upon their camp, intending to take them hostage and glean information about Kirigakure, his teammates felt that brawn as Kisame killed them all. Every last one. Village safety was above all else- after all, that was how he was trained.

As he stood over the bloody mess of ally and enemy bodies alike, he walked over to one blonde-haired one in particular. Looking down upon her glazed-over eyes, he crouched down, something compelling him to close them for her. Kisame had been trained since childhood to dismiss his emotions, but at that moment, Kaori's dead, accusatory eyes would emboss themselves in his mind causing him a pang of a strange sensation whenever he recalled the memory.

One day, he realized that discomforting sensation was called guilt.

.-.-.-.

Kisame opened his eyes.

"A dream."

Well, more like a_ memory_; one that would bother him every once in a while, particularly when he was brooding over something.

He draped his forearm over his face, shielding his eyes from the bright lights flashing through the window.

Kisame was in a small, seedy town which was apparently ablaze with activity during the night. He sullenly regretted his choice of stopovers as a heavy, muted bass line thrummed from the outside, permeating through the thin walls of his motel room. His head hurt and he barely got enough sleep, being woken up for the third time that night for various reasons.

The latest one- the memory of his mission for Mist all those years ago- disturbed him enough that he didn't want to fall back asleep anymore. He didn't want to think about the dream any further though, so he got up off the bed and walked over to the small bathroom to wash his face.

He turned on the fluorescent lights and observed his reflection in the mirror. He was hollow and worn and it looked like he had never left Kabuto's lab. Kisame brought his hand up to his face and traced a finger across the gills on his right cheekbone. He closed his eyes, remembering the last person to do so.

_'The only person to do so.'_

Kisame then gripped the grimy sink with both hands and sighed, looking down into it. He had done a formidable job forgetting about _that person_, but every once in a while her face would pop into his mind and he'd be left thinking of trivial things. Like her hands on his face, on his chest, on his back...

He turned on the tap and cupped his hands, allowing the water to flow in. Kisame stood there, observing as the water poured over his hands and then splashed it on his face quickly dismissing any thoughts that could've crept into his mind at the image. The buzzing of the fluorescent bulb was starting to irritate him, so he flicked the switch off and left the bathroom. What would he do _now_?

It was nearly impossible to get any sleep in this party town, and he didn't feel like joining in the fun either.

He grabbed Samehada from the wall it leaned against and put on his coat. He would resume his trip north, as it seemed to be the only feasible option. He yawned and made for the door. Ame was still days away, and this would only speed things up.

.-.-.-.

"I'm hungry, let's eat!"

"What? You have _got_ to be kidding me!"

Taiki pouted at the pink haired girl and rubbed his belly dejectedly. It had only been an hour since their last stop at a teahouse and he was already hungry again. Sakura pinched her brow; the trip to Amegakure wasn't a long one, but at this rate they were never going to get there. After having visited four different eateries since entering the Rain Country, Sakura was starting to think this Taiki guy was somehow related to Chouji.

"There should be a nice traveller's inn somewhere nearby..." he trailed off as he looked at the crumpled map in his hands for the millionth time, "Oh! We're so close, Sakura-chan! Let's go!"

Sakura stared at him in disbelief. How he became ANBU with such a childish personality was beyond her. He looked no older than twenty- despite his shaggy, short, white hair- and he was always grinning, or making conversation, no matter how pointless. She sighed and followed after the enthusiastically leaping man. Weren't ANBU ninja supposed to be serious and inconspicuous?

After they arrived and were seated, Taiki proceeded to order half of what was on the menu, much like the last few places they went to. Sakura just eyed the thin-framed shinobi and wondered where all those meals fit. She ordered a green tea and sat in silence as Taiki stuffed his face and mumbled on about various things. Her mind was still unsettled after receiving this mission, but it seemed that she was the only one who felt any concern. Sakura couldn't help it. After learning so much about Danzo and what happened in the shadows of Konoha, she was sure nothing would ever be simple any more. There was always an ulterior motive or a hidden agenda- she was sure of it.

"Sakura-chan?" came Taiki's voice after he downed an entire plate of dango, "what's the matter?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing. How's the food?" she replied, changing the subject.

The man wiped his mouth with a napkin and finished chewing the last of his tempura. He seemed to be intensely scrutinizing her, and she just gazed back quizzically.

"How come you didn't order anything?" Taiki questioned.

"Uh, because I'm not a bottomless pit like you?"

He sniffed as if insulted, and continued eating the rest of his food. Sakura didn't know what to make of him. Half the time he acted like a clumsy idiot, and the other half he was giving her strange stares and asking weird questions.

"Check out that vase over there," he suddenly said, pointing to a clay pot in a corner with some tacky fish motifs on it.

"_What?_"

Sakura turned her head behind her to look at the object, then back at him, unimpressed.

"Don't tell me- you want to eat it."

He didn't confirm nor deny Sakura's comment, but just looked around the room as he continued chewing his food. She then started mentally listing the various attention deficit disorders Taiki probably had.

"Doesn't this place remind you of that one bar they closed down in Konoha? Remember, that one that was completely trashed by some drunk guy?"

Sakura rolled her eyes at him. He certainly _was_ weird. She never met someone so chatty. He must've been loads of fun during spy missions.

"Well, I think so. And the waitress, she kinda looks like that one lady that owns the magazine stand next to the-"

"Taiki, this is really annoying. Hurry up and finish your food so we can go."

"Look, Sakura, do you recognize this place _at all_?"

Taiki was suddenly very serious and set down his sushi, waiting for her answer.

The gears in Sakura's mind started turning as she realized what was going on. She slammed her fist against the table and stormed out of the tavern. Taiki was outside with her in a flash.

"Get away from me!" Sakura screamed, throwing down her heavy backpack so she could fight if the need arose.

"Sakura, just calm down, okay? I'll explain."

"Why does _everyone_ have to lie to me? Why can't anyone tell me the goddamn _truth_?"

He stood there, hands in his pockets, waiting for the pink-haired kunoichi to finish venting.

Sakura was nowhere near it though. She was _furious_. She figured it out- this mission was intended to get her memory to come back- her memory from when she was retrieving that document from the thieves. In a tavern. In Ame. That's why Taiki was dragging her around to every possible tavern that existed in the country. That's why he asked her multitudes of questions about seemingly mundane things- in hopes that she would recognize something, and in turn trigger her memory about the day she was kidnapped. She wanted to cry. Did Tsunade know about this? Did everyone know but her?

"I'm not naive, tell me _everything_!" Sakura ordered sternly.

Taiki kept it vague, but confirmed Sakura's suspicion about Konoha wanting her memory to come back. They really were hung up about it, and not even _she_ knew why! Sakura forcibly steadied her breathing as the man spoke, fearful that she could snap any minute if her blood pressure rose anymore.

"So the Amegakure diplomacy thing was just a cover?" she asked after cooling down a bit.

"Well, not really. That's still part of the mission. Konan likely has valuable information on Akatsuki and we do actually need it."

"So. Hitting two birds with one stone. Great!"

"Well, we haven't hit that first bird _yet_."

"Shut up! I'm not doing this, Taiki- or _whoever_ you are."

The man sighed.

"I know you're frustrated Sakura, but this is for Konoha's and _your_ safety. So by cooperating, it's better for everyone involved, okay?"

Sakura looked at Taiki less seethingly than before. He sounded sincere and she couldn't blame him for the shitty situation she was in. Her newfound cynicism wasn't receding though and she still felt betrayed. How dare they manipulate her like this so secretively? If they were more forthcoming about her mission, she may have been okay with it. But to go behind her back on matters that concerned _her_?

Sakura reigned in her anger, adopting a less-threatening stance and her shoulders visibly sagged. She would suck it up. She would have to do this.

"How many places do we have to visit?"

Taiki's face softened, and he looked down at the folded map he fished out of his vest.

"Five down, seventeen to go."

Sakura gritted her teeth and grabbed her backpack off of the floor. If this was going to help her life return back to normal, then so be it.

.-.-.-.

"State your business. We know you're there."

Kisame materialized from out of the shrubbery at the sound of the voice.

"Relax, relax. I'm not here to fight," he responded.

He then raised his hands in a show of peace. The two Amegakure shinobi in front of him traded apprehensive looks upon seeing the man approach.

"You wear Akatsuki colors. We've cut off affiliation with your organization."

"So have I."

They looked at each other again, puzzled and unsure of what to do.

"I'm here to talk with Konan- she still around?"

The two guard shinobi looked surprised that he knew her name, but were apparently too afraid to answer his question.

"I take your silence as a 'yes'. Anyway, we're old... acquaintances. Send someone to tell her Hoshigaki Kisame is here to speak with her."

Suddenly one of the shinobi lowered his weapon and typed something into a panel on the city gates which Kisame didn't notice before. A television screen flashed on and a masked man appeared on it.

"Yes?"

"Sir, it looks like a _Hoshigaki Kisame_ is requesting visitation with the leader."

The man on the screen nodded and then it went blank.

_'Hm, times have changed,'_Kisame thought to himself.

Minutes later, the screen turned on again, and the masked man allowed Kisame entry. The two guardsmen still looked unsure, but as the gate opened mechanically, the blue-skinned man proceeded inside. An escort was deployed to his side soon after, and together they went to the tower where Konan was.

.-.-.-.

By the time Sakura and Taiki were through barhopping, the kunoichi felt like she wanted to punch him in the face. It was bad enough that she was submitting to this torture, but her partner had the audacity to order a meal at every single place they'd stop at.

His excuse? He was giving her "lots of time" to decide whether or not the current place they visited was triggering her memory. Needless to say, it didn't take long for Sakura to deem when a place was only drawing blanks. Also much to Sakura's chagrin, Taiki would not cease with his annoying questioning. He continued prodding her like a mosquito about every detail in every place- the floors, the furniture, wood color, staff, style of the dinnerware- _everything_.

Sakura tolerated it with her teeth clenched. Eventually it would be over.

But after going through every eatery, teahouse, bar and tavern in Rain Country- not including the hidden village - Sakura was still unable to regain any lost memories or insight about what happened all those months ago. She decided that part of her memory was just going to remain lost forever- which was probably for the best anyway. She would never admit it openly, but she secretly hoped _not_ to know how she came to be captured by Kabuto. Besides, Sakura was convinced it didn't matter. She was alive, healthy and relatively sane- so why should the past matter so much?

_'It matters because Danzo is an insecure, paranoid little shit,'_ she mentally noted.

Even though Tsunade handed her the mission, Sakura was sure the order came from above. There was no way her mentor would have suggested it on her own.

Taiki broke her mental reveries when he burped rather loudly.

"Well, that's it, eh? I guess this was pretty fruitless in the end."

Sakura glared at the man who was rubbing his distended stomach. He had just finished paying the waitress at the last eatery, and Sakura was sitting on the outside steps waiting.

"Not fruitless for you, apparently."

"Mm. I gotta say, these Ame folks really know their cuisine. I'll make sure to take more missions in this country from now on. Did I ever mention how crappy the food was in Iwa? Geez! One day there and I'm shitting my guts out, I swear-"

"Okay! That's enough out of you, buddy," Sakura interjected, not needing to hear any more details about his bowel movements. Just because she was a medic, didn't mean she was immune to the grossness of such things- something people didn't seem to understand. She stood from her seat, wiping debris from her uniform.

"Okay, okay. Don't be so uptight Sakura-_hime_. Let's go."

And with that, they continued their path towards Amegakure and the second part of their mission.

.-.-.-.

Kisame was finally escorted to the tallest building in the rainy city. He was in an elevator leading up towards the top of the main tower and took in the view through the glass interior. He hadn't been in the reclusive city for a while and it seemed to have expanded in the time that passed since his last visit. Other than that and the change in leadership, not much else had changed- especially not the weather. The sky was still the same tone of gray and the rain was still falling incessantly. Finally, the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened revealing Konan on the other side.

"Kisame."

The man in question looked upon the indigo-haired woman who looked exactly the same as when he last saw her. Then she smiled.

Kisame was taken aback by the tiny quirk of her lips, and then realized it was in fact a completely different person looking back at him. The stoicism in her face was replaced by something else. He wondered then how he looked, how she perceived him. Was he any different now?

"Konan," he greeted, nodding.

"I wasn't sure what happened to you. I heard rumors about your death," she stated.

"Yeah, likewise."

Kisame decided not to tell her anything about what happened in Kabuto's lab. He himself wished to erase the shameful events completely from his mind, and promised himself to never speak of the time again. Distracting himself, he realized the slight change in Konan's voice as well. The monotone detachment in her speech was now laced with a genuine happiness, or something. Kisame's curiosity mounted. He was expecting her to be depressed because of Nagato's death- everyone in Akatsuki knew she held him above everything else.

Konan dismissed the escort and motioned for Kisame to follow her through the window-lined halls of the floor. Eventually she stopped when she got to a balcony, opening the sliding doors. There were chairs and an overhang, preventing any rain to fall into the space. Kisame took a seat at Konan's request and together they sat in silence for a few moments, peacefully observing the rain.

He wasn't sure what to say.

"So...you left Akatsuki for good?"

"Yes. My priorities shifted since Nagato's death. I could no longer support such a corrupt cause- especially one with Madara at the head," she responded.

"Hm."

"And you, Kisame? You still wear the coat."

He glanced at himself, thinking about the fact for the first time. He had divested himself of all other Akatsuki garb- the straw hat, the nail polish, the _ring_...

The coat was the last remaining link he had connecting him to the organization. He almost chuckled to himself.

"I also still wear this," Kisame said, tapping the metal of his forehead protector.

Konan smiled faintly and then turned, plucking the paper flower from her hair.

"I suppose we all carry mementos of our past in one way or another. Maybe, in some ways, always being reminded of them helps us understand them better- and helps us grow."

She cupped the fragile flower in her hands, deep in thought.

"I don't think I've grown," Kisame blurted out before he had a chance to stop himself.

Konan turned to him.

"I remember Nagato telling me something once. He said that you had killed your comrades back when you were still in Kiri."

Kisame inhaled deeply and looked up at the overhang, observing the raindrops as they dripped down it. He was never particularly ashamed of it, but Konan confronting him about that fragment of his past somehow bothered him. She continued.

"And here you are, talking to me."

He understood her point clearly. It was true- she was neither a clansman, village comrade, nor were they in the same organization anymore. Yet, he had sought her out like one sought out an old friend. Up until recently, he wouldn't have thought twice about killing her.

Kisame sighed.

"I suppose you have a point," he responded, "What about you? You are different now."

"I'm at peace, Kisame," she said softly, pinning the paper flower back behind her ear.

"You have purpose."

"I had purpose before too, just not the right guidance. I put my faith in the Kyuubi boy now."

"What?"

That feisty little whisker-face? Kisame couldn't even remember his name.

Konan laughed.

"Yes, Naruto. Sometimes guidance comes in the strangest of circumstances. Nagato's body died, but his wish for peace lives on in Naruto. I choose to believe in him and will help him take down Madara in any way I can."

Kisame looked at her in disbelief. And here he thought her change was due to leaving Akatsuki. The boy who they were once destined to kill had sparked a deep change in Konan, and now her enemy was her friend and her friend her enemy. It was all upside down.

"I'm not like you," Kisame said. He was just not the type to go all-out good guy like Konan did. He did not fight for a noble cause, did not have a heart of virtue. He was the guy that did the dirty work for those who wished to _appear_ noble. He was the brawn.

"You will find your peace too, Kisame. Maybe when you least expect it. If you'd like, you can stay here in Ame and work for me."

He felt uncomfortable at the offer. She trusted him even after knowing about his past and how he betrayed his own birthplace and brethren? He felt something akin to real shame overcome him.

"I can't."

"I knew you'd say that."

Kisame inwardly sighed. Even if he was comfortable with it, he couldn't imagine ever being truly happy here. Besides, he was a rogue. He needed to find purpose on his own.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm just not the type."

"I know. But I still hope you'll stay in the city for a bit to clear what's on your mind."

_'I'd need years to clear it,'_ he inwardly mused.

"Yeah, I'll stay for a few days."

Konan then arranged for an apartment to be prepared for Kisame's stay and walked him to it, but first they stopped by Nagato's grave on their way there. Kisame stood above it and remembered his old life in Kirigakure- how it was governed by falsehoods and blood. He had joined Akatsuki in order to get away from that, but ended up being sucked into an even deeper tangle of deceit, with Nagato- Pein- not being the real leader in the end.

Would he ever find something genuinely true to live by?

As he walked away from the gravesite and to the room he'd be staying in, he mulled over Konan's offer again- of him staying in Amegakure. He wouldn't have to worry about leaders with ulterior motives now that Konan was head of the place. Would it really be so bad? Would living here make him happy in the end?

"Here it is. Feel free to walk around the village as you please, and stay as long as you'd like," Konan said, giving him a key.

They stood outside the doors to his lodgings, now completely drenched by the rain. Kisame noticed the flower in Konan's hair was wet also, and then it fell to the ground. The delicate paper it was fashioned from was getting pounded relentlessly by the heavy raindrops, causing it to fall apart- the bits of paper drifting down the river of water into one of the sewage grates which littered the city. Kisame watched it, but Konan remained unfazed.

"I'm glad you came, Kisame."

"Yeah."

She gave him one last, faint smile and then headed back towards the building they previously emerged from. Kisame absently looked around for any remnants of the origami flower, but by then, they were all gone.

* * *

**A/N**: Hey guys, hope you liked this one even though it's full of more dialogue than descriptive stuff. But yay! I'm happy with this one! I hope all the characters stayed in character and expect to read Sakura and Kisame interaction soon!

Anyway, I wanted to say that the dream/memory Kisame has at the beginning of this chapter is taken (somewhat) directly from chapter 507 in the manga, but the girl's name (Kaori) is made up since it was never specified. Japanese name generators ftw haha :P

Much love to all my readers, and especially those of you that take a few seconds to stroke my ego and tell me how much you love my story- I LOVE YOU ENDLESSLY! 8D


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Hey guys! Sorry for the delayed update, but you know, mid-terms happen :'(

This was actually a super long chapter, but in the end I split it in two parts, so the next part is coming up soon since it's already like, mostly written lol! As usual, your reviews made my frickin day and encouraged me to post this damn thing and stop keeping you from reading it in all its glory. LOL NO. But seriously. OH- I love my critics too! I take it all to heart and consider your words as I continue to develop my writing and my story. So thank you everyone! Now I'll shut up and let you guys read. *Muah*~

* * *

Sakura craned her neck, trying to see how far up the enormous steel doors in front of her went. They were impossibly high, and along with the barricade which flared out on either side of them, she understood why not many people ever came to visit the village hidden in the Rain- it truly _was_ hidden. Four large, straight lines were carved into the hard surface of the doors- a symbol of the place they were about to enter. She had never been here before, but decided she didn't like it already. The rain hadn't ceased for hours, and according to Taiki, it wouldn't any time soon. Sighing, she waited as her partner clumsily produced documents proving the legitimacy of their mission in Amegakure to the two guards stationed at the entrance.

As soon as it was authenticated, the doors opened, allowing them entry. To Sakura's awe, it seemed the entire city was comprised of steel and concrete. Where Konoha was built outwards, Ame seemed to be built skywards, focusing on high-rise buildings and walkways. As they were led inside by an escort, Sakura couldn't help but continue looking upwards to observe the masses of people walking across narrow metal bridges above their heads. She felt a vertigo sensation as she stood, and wondered how she would cope for the next few days- heights were _not_ her favorite. She quickly dropped her head back down and sped up her pace, catching up with Taiki and their escort.

As they walked, Sakura was intrigued by the unique framework of the city with its countless pipes, stairs, metal cables and bridges. It was different than any other place she had visited, and by far more technologically advanced. Neon signs lit up the drab grayness of the metal architecture and rainy atmosphere. Beneath her feet, concrete gave way to perforated metal flooring and as they continued, Sakura noticed the span of water under the holes of the floor. Subconsciously, she treaded lighter than before, afraid that she would fall through.

"Um... are we above water or something?"

The Ame escort in front of her turned his head back at Sakura's question and enthusiastically answered, as if he was just waiting for her to ask.

"Yep! The city is built on top of a giant lake. Pretty cool, huh?"

The man- whose name turned out to be Shogo- proceeded to flash her a Naruto-esque grin as they travelled on through networks of bridges and tunnels. Sakura didn't know how he could be so happy in such depressing weather, but he continued on like a tour-guide, giving them random trivia about the village as they walked.

"Yeah, we get a lot of rain, right? That's why we built over the lake. The perforated floors allow the rainwater to filter into the water below to avoid flooding."

Sakura just kept nodding, still enthralled by the industrial landscape. Taiki was busy asking the guide his own questions, and the girl almost chuckled at how well they got along. She, on the other hand, was finding it less intriguing by the minute, her body begging for some place dry. Suddenly, she was missing the Wind country and its barren desert.

"And _this_- this is the tallest building in _all_ of Ame. Here lives God's Angel. Well, nobody really calls her that anymore, but I still think it's cute," the young guide said, sheepishly laughing at his own comment.

They took the elevator up towards the last floor and Sakura hurriedly exited as soon as it reached the top. Shogo took them to a room, sparsely dotted with modern furniture, and they were seated. The leader woman- Konan- was sitting at a table looking pensive as she went through paperwork, but greeted them warmly as they entered. They were all introduced and Taiki began informing her of the mission. Sakura looked at him through the periphery of her vision as he spoke rather professionally and seriously for what she was used to. She inwardly added 'multiple personality disorder' to the list of mental issues the man likely had.

The girl then shifted her attention to Konan. Sakura herself didn't know much about Akatsuki, only knowing of a few members, but she was surprised the woman in front of her used to be part of it. She seemed so polite and full of good intent, that it was difficult to imagine her a member of one of the biggest terrorist organizations in the shinobi world.

_'Sometimes, there's more to people than you'd think.'_

The phrase reverberated in her mind in the low baritone of someone she once considered a monster unworthy of living. Konan's serious tone broke Sakura out of her thoughts.

"I will agree to aid in giving all the intelligence on Akatsuki's plans I have, but unfortunately, there are some things I cannot divulge regarding some members of my past affiliation."

Sakura felt Taiki stiffen slightly next to her. She glanced over to Konan who seemed firm in her resolve. So, this mission wasn't going to be as fruitful as Taiki had hoped. According to the mission briefing, they were here to gather any and _all_ information regarding Akatsuki- regardless of what it was. After all, Ame was their main headquarters and would likely hold the bulk of all their documentation. Sakura quickly glanced at Konan. Was the woman really that loyal still? She wouldn't betray the very criminals she once associated with in order to purge the world of them and their plans? Then, the pink-haired girl almost laughed at the irony after thinking it through.

She _too_ was that loyal. She wasn't even able to sell out that "monster", Kisame, in order to benefit her own _village, _and she didn't even know why. On top of that, she only spent a few days with the man, let alone someone like Konan who had spent years. Besides, the woman did say she would only hold back on only _some_ information; for Konoha or anyone seeking out intel on the Akatsuki, even a small amount would be helpful. At any rate, this Konan was being too generous as it was. Sakura decided to interject in the conversation before Taiki had a chance to.

"We understand and abide by your terms, Konan-san."

Taiki gave Sakura a curious glance, then noticed the mutual agreement between them and almost slapped his palm to his face. He was in charge of the mission, and now the pink-haired girl was messing it up. Taiki was given direct orders to obtain absolutely all information on Akatsuki if Amegakure was going to be allied with Konoha. He sighed, attempting to continue negotiations but Sakura noticed, and gave him a surprisingly painful pinch in the arm, while maintaining her friendly smile. He got the hint and decided to let things play out.

"Good. Well, I'm glad you understand. It has likely been a long day for you, so I suggest both of you go rest," the woman spoke, "We have prepared rooms for you, and I will have a messenger come tomorrow and let you know when the documents are ready."

She rose from her seat, and Taiki and Sakura promptly followed.

Konan smiled and showed them both to the elevator doors, calling upon their escort Shogo, to walk them to their rooms. Sakura quickened her pace, fuelled by the promise of a warm, dry bed. They had been on their feet travelling all day, and she just wanted to sleep.

When they got to the small motel they were going to be staying at, Sakura sighed in relief, glad it wasn't anywhere high up.

"Hey Sakura, me and Shogo are gonna go hit up a restaurant- wanna come?"

"No thanks," she responded quickly. Having seen Taiki gorge himself all day, Sakura felt like she couldn't stomach food for a while.

"Well, we're heading out. See ya tomorrow." Shogo responded handing her a key, and they were off. She welcomed the silence that ensued after the boys' departure and opened up her room door.

It was plain enough inside, but Sakura was overjoyed that it wasn't made of concrete and metal. There was a small mattress, futon, and night table for furnishings, and a tiny bathroom to the side. She walked in, took off her raincoat, and sluggishly made her way to the mattress not bothering to divest herself any further.

The digital clock on the night stand indicated it was shortly after nine at night. Sakura laid down closing her eyes and fell asleep to the sound of rain.

.-.-.-.

Kisame wandered the streets casually, looking around for a sign that indicated a weapons supply shop somewhere. Ame was so cluttered and tightly compacted, filtering through all the flashing signs and billboards was overwhelming. There seemed to be no particular organization in which shops were clustered, so he felt like his search would take him longer than he expected.

_'__Enoki's Shoe Repair'_ was next to _'The Love Stop'_. A block later and he was walking past a unisex barber shop, organic grocery store, antique furniture shop, and the tantalizing window display of _'Luscious Lingerie'_. Kisame sighed, ready to abandon his search for a good cleaning kit for his poor, beaten Samehada. He patted the sword sympathetically, silently apologizing as he walked into a small pub for a needed drink.

The place was dead except for a couple of shady looking men seated at the bar. _Good-_ he preferred it that way.

Kisame didn't get any strange stares, to his contentment, and quickly ordered a whiskey, sitting down on a stool closest to the entrance. Despite Ame's infamous weather, he actually liked the rain and enjoyed observing it through the glass windows.

It was his third day in the village, and he could find no resolution to his problems. More and more, Konan's offer was looking like the right option. He considered travelling again- considered finding some powerful shinobi to challenge, or even becoming a mercenary- but nothing was motivating him enough.

Kisame stared into his now-empty shotglass as the last drop of alcohol dripped down the edge of the lip. He ordered another, and downed it just as quick. After his sixth whiskey, he remembered the dying wish of his late partner Itachi. Kisame quickly drank another shot to try and drown the memory.

_'Kill him Kisame- kill Madara.'_

The shark-man remembered how desperate Itachi sounded as he spoke. It was a haunting tone, one Kisame hoped never to hear from another man again. That's why he tried to quickly forget about the Uchiha's words, ever since he spoke them.

_'Itachi, you fool,'_ Kisame mentally admonished.

Itachi could've taken down Madara if he went all out, but unfortunately, he chose his death to be dealt by another Uchiha. He was _that_ principled, _that_ strong-willed and _that_ determined to have Sasuke kill him- and not once allowing the truth to come out about everything.

Kisame was not that kind of person.

He was the rogue who went and killed his entire team for the sake of the village which would later persecute him. He was selfish and brutish and had no compassion for others- no camaraderie.

He didn't kill Madara after Itachi asked him to, and he wasn't going to help Konan with her dealings in Amegakure either.

As he was preparing to order another shot, two chatty kids walked in to the bar, interrupting his mental reverie. Irritated, Kisame planned to shoot a menacing glare their way, but stopped himself after noticing the attire one of the young men was wearing. ANBU. _Konoha_ ANBU, in fact. Well, Konan did say Ame was now allied with the village, but Kisame still felt a bit wary- after all, he was still a wanted man. Even though he decided to wear a plain black coat during his stay in the village, he still had to be careful. Fortunately for him, they made no notice of his hunched form in the dim lights, and they sat in a booth behind him, making no effort to conceal their conversation from the couple of other patrons in the bar. The bartender made his way over, asking for their orders, and Kisame decided to finish up after having one more shot, now uninterested in the pair.

"Yeah, that last place had some good ramen, but I could use some sake."

"Getting drunk tonight, Taiki?"

"No way, man. I don't need a hangover on the first day of a mission. Besides, I don't want that babe leader of yours getting the wrong idea."

The man wearing the Amegakure hitae-ate laughed at the Konoha nin's remark. Kisame rolled his eyes deciding he was through wasting his time in the now too-crowded bar. He dug around his pocket for some money to pay for his drinks, preparing to head out. It was getting late and he still didn't find the supplies he needed to clean his sword with.

"Well isn't your partner a medic? She can probably heal a hangover, you know."

"Nah, Sakura is kinda mad at me. Besides, she has one hell of a temper- she'd probably beat me first for drinking on a mission."

Again the obnoxious pair burst into laughter as the bartender returned with their drinks in hand. Kisame stood at the bar, transfixed at the money he just placed on the table.

_'Sakura.'_

He repeated the name in his mind, mildly shocked at hearing it again. It caused something strange to stir in his gut and he wondered if the shinobi at the table was talking about the same pink-haired girl that now invaded his mind. Still standing frozen, Kisame finally noticed the bartender had taken the money and was looking at him strangely. The Mist nin regained his composure and sat back down on the stool, listening intently to the pair of shinobi still talking behind him. He glanced at the bartender and ordered another round. The old man confusedly shrugged, but complied, not wanting to question the menacing looking shark-man.

"Well, I think it's pretty sad that you're scared of getting beaten by her. Girls become medics for a reason."

"Ha!" exclaimed the Konoha man, who Kisame learnt was named Taiki, "One of my friends was assigned to monitor her for a couple of weeks, and he watched her train once, saying she split the ground with her bare _fist_."

Kisame's lip twitched upwards at that. It _must_ be the same girl.

"Heh, well then I'd hate to be around her during a particular time of the month."

Both men laughed again, clinking their shot glasses together as they downed the bitter liquor. After that, the two went on babbling about other mundane things, as Kisame kept his ears tuned in case one of them should mention Sakura again. From what he could tell, the girl was likely here in the village, apparently on a mission with this Taiki guy. The kid was loud and way too open for an ANBU, but he was smart enough not to spill any information on mission details. Kisame listened in for a bit more, unsure of why he was so interested in the first place.

If Sakura was indeed in Amegakure, what would he do about it?

Kisame didn't think he'd ever see her again. It was a kind of mutual understanding that whatever happened, happened, and that their ties were now permanently severed. In fact, he was sure she would resent him now. After all, the girl did run away from him all those months ago in River Country without even saying anything. She probably couldn't wait to be rid of him forever- and it wasn't much of a surprise either. They were from two opposite sides of the spectrum in more ways than one. He scoffed inwardly. Not like it mattered- she was just a hindrance for him anyway.

And as he thought it, his mind betrayed him by presenting him with memories which he had carefully sealed away. Kisame forcefully inhaled a breath of air, clearing his mind and now regretting his decision to drink.

Still, even if he had some interest in perhaps- entertaining a talk with her- it didn't mean she necessarily would.

"Shogo, I gotta head back before I really do end up tanked," Taiki said, slamming down an empty glass.

"Lame, dude."

"Whatever, we'll be here for a few days, and I'm sure we'll have another chance to really party," Taiki said.

"I'm holding you to it. Oh and next time, maybe the cute little firecracker can come too," Shogo said, nudging the man next to him as they stood.

"Yeah, well _you_ can ask her then."

They had already paid and were out the door, not even noticing Kisame as he sat hunched over, with his collar up to his ears. After a couple of minutes, the blue-skinned man rose as well, heading out into the rain.

A full shot of liquor and some coins remained on the bar as he walked out the door.

.-.-.-.

Sakura was sitting, zoned out with her head in her palms staring at the countless documents strewn and piled on the table in front of her. It had been hours into hers and Taiki's research, and she was quickly tiring from the non-stop work.

A messenger had come that morning and taken them to Amegakure's archives which were in the head building where Konan resided- after all it made sense that such top-secret information was kept there. Once Sakura and Taiki arrived, they began sorting through all the various documents and files which were left there after the split of Akatsuki- when Pain died. Sakura had initially been quite enthusiastic about the whole thing since she always had a curiosity towards the mysterious organization, especially after meeting with one- well now _two_- of its ex-members.

Looking at the notes she had made, one could deduce her curiosity was amply sated. Sakura's thick journal was packed with notes now- mostly about Akatsuki's goals and capturing the jinchuriki. Sakura had been shocked to find a small photograph of Naruto paper clipped to a file with detailed information about her friend. It was a picture of him as a child, and the girl found it hard not to cry at the sobering reminder- he could have ended up just a statistic like all the other pictures she saw. Such a personal fragment of his life mixed in with the tainted documents of hardened criminals disturbed her.

Aside from that, she had found out more than she could ever wrap her mind around about the organization. Firstly, she had been shocked to find out the true leader was Uchiha Madara. One, because of how old he was and two because of his name- of the connection to Sasuke. Frantically, she looked around for any information about the boy, but there was none. And concerning this Madara, information was limited as well- clearly he wasn't stupid enough to leave it lying around for others to stumble upon. Taiki told her to focus on finding out any information on him above all else, making her realize her partner knew about Madara long before she did. Again, she noted just how in the dark she was about everything, and once more she found herself asking if she was the only one.

Aside from Madara, she scribbled down information on Hidan and Kakuzu- the duo responsible for Asuma's death. She also learned the history of Sasori- the man she herself killed years ago with the aid of Chiyo. As much as she found herself interested in these people, there was one part of her which remained unsatisfied- there was no information on Kisame. Sakura's eyes secretly scanned page after page for any mention of the man- of 'shark', 'Kirigakure', 'Samehada', _anything_- but each time she came up empty. She realized after a while that it was probably intentionally being kept from them. Just like there was suspiciously no information on Pain or Konan, there was no information about Kisame either. Sakura wondered why Konan would want to keep it from them, but then questioned her own self- why was she so determined to find it anyway?

Maybe it was because she needed a piece of paper to tell her something which would keep him from invading her thoughts. Maybe she needed to know that he was a merciless, cruel killer. She needed numbers, statistics, names of those he killed. All of that would smite the image she held in her mind. It was so much easier when she thought of him as a true beast- before she ever laid hands on his body or had a conversation with him.

She set to work once more, ignoring her own self-indulgent quest for whatever she was hoping to find on Kisame. She was in Amegakure to prove herself as an asset to Konoha- not to reaffirm their suspicions about her relationship to the man, whatever it was.

A few hours later, she was becoming numb from the overwhelming amount that she had yet to scour through. Sakura yawned, noticing Taiki was still absent from his post at the far end of the table. He had gone out to get a "snack" for the fifth time that day, leaving her with the mountain of papers to sort through alone. It was just as well, she figured- he was probably just doodling or daydreaming while he was in the room pretending to work.

She silently cursed the clumsy man who woke her up at four in the morning with his drunken stumbling in the room adjacent to hers. Sakura's eye twitched at the irritating memory and she rubbed her itchy eyes. Unfortunately, she was not one who could go back to sleep after being awoken- especially so loudly. He on the other hand, seemed just fine despite how inebriated he likely was the night before.

_'__Probably his insane metabolism,' _she guessed to herself.

She then dropped her gaze to the dried coffee ring inside her mug and decided it was time to refuel. Sakura sluggishly rose from her seat and made her way to the door.

The room they were in was off-limits to everyone else except for the two Konoha ninja, and a guard that made his rounds every once in a while. It was a large library, stacked to the ceiling with metal filing drawers and shelves which were overstuffed with documents, scrolls, books and other containers of information. The only other furniture was the table- and mountain of paper on it- and a few chairs in the center of the room.

As Sakura walked down the long corridor to the small lounge area, she briefly entertained going to visit Konan and having a chat with the woman. Surely she could tell her some things about...

Sakura cut off her own mental thought.

_'__Ugh, when am I just going to forget?' _

She couldn't understand why her mind would keep bringing up that forbidden face. That blue-skinned anomaly of a face that compromised her allegiance to her own village. She walked into the lounge, pouring herself a mug full of coffee and sat down at one of the tables. Outside it was already getting dark, but they still had so much left to do. They were nowhere near having enough on that Madara man nor enough intel on the scope of his plans. She wasn't exactly the type for this kind of work- unlike someone like Shikamaru who would have been perfect for the job. Once again, she found herself wondering if they sent her on this mission for some other reason.

_'Depressing.'_

Her cynicism, the weather, everything. She was getting sick of her own attitude. Maybe after this she would take a walk or go shopping. Ame was full of stores and Sakura was itching to buy something nice for herself- after all, her kunoichi clothes were getting annoying to look at every day.

_'Not like I have anyone to look nice for though,'_ she countered.

Okay, maybe she would buy a book instead. Anything to get her mind off of her situation and get her thinking positively again.

She got up and headed towards the archives room again, to wait for Taiki and see if he wanted to call it a night. As she walked through the long corridor, she sensed something strangely familiar course through her core like an electric jolt.

_'What..?'_

As the feeling solidified itself into something recognizable, realization dawned on her, and wide-eyed she dashed behind a wall, concealing herself and her chakra. That familiar thing she sensed was somebody else's chakra signature, and it was getting closer steadily. Sakura held her breath and put a hand over her heart in an effort to muffle the loud beating.

_'It can't be...no...'_

The chakra suddenly stopped moving and a small ping resonated from somewhere nearby. Elevator.

Sakura closed her eyes, trying desperately not to acknowledge who she suspected was now occupying the same floor as her. It was him, unmistakeably. His chakra was so unique and vast and suddenly Sakura wondered why she was even able to detect it. He should have been masking it, and not walking around so freely in Konan's building.

_'Konan. Akatsuki. Kisame__.'_

Friends? Was that why there was no information on him in the archives?

_'Kisame. Kisame. Kisame,'_ she mentally repeated, allowing the man's name to echo in her mind, ignoring her previous questions. Sakura wanted to turn around, to verify that it really was him and that it wasn't her already damaged psyche playing tricks on her.

As her mind raced about what too do, she noticed he was moving away. Finally, Sakura couldn't hold back anymore, and she turned around, peering over the concrete wall.

She stifled a gasp. There was that familiar back. His black coat and that behemoth of a sword retreating down another hallway, led by another ninja. Sakura gulped and quickly turned back around, pressing herself firmly against the wall for support.

_'Oh my god...'_

Yes he really was there. In the same village- the same _building_- no less. Why? The fact was, she didn't really care about why- more alarmingly she wanted to follow the man. Something made her feel a pull towards him and she had to forcefully cement her feet into the ground lest they betray her.

Sakura stood against the wall for a few more minutes before deciding the coast was clear enough for her to re-emerge. She made her way back towards the archives room, albeit a bit shaken from encountering Kisame again. Taiki came sprinting towards her, sipping some carbonated drink, also having returned from his ridiculously extended break. After seeing her sullen expression, the bounce in his step seemed to die.

"Sakura?"

"Hm? Oh, what?" she responded, suddenly aware of his presence.

Taiki annoyingly slurped the remainder of his drink while suspiciously craning his neck around and behind her to see what could have caused the girl to look so distraught, but Sakura decided to squash his curiosity.

"Hey, Taiki, do you mind if we call it a night?"

"Uh, yeah sure. Actually I was gonna ask you the same thing. Man, what a long day," he said, dramatically rolling his shoulders as if he had been working for hours. Sakura would've commented on his lack of team effort, but her mind was still elsewhere.

She walked back to the room briskly to retrieve her notes, joining Taiki outside the door after he did the same. The guard came by to lock the room and they were off, headed out into the night. Taiki rambled on about some of the intel he got, but Sakura only half-listened, nodding every once in a while.

"Listen, I was gonna go meet up with Shogo tonight, and uh, go out someplace. Did you want to join us?" he said a bit hesitantly, chewing on the straw from his drink.

"No, Taiki. Sorry, maybe some other time," she responded spaced out, as if her words ran through glue.

"You're still mad at me aren't you?"

Sakura finally looked at him, slightly taken aback at his assumption.

"No... I'm not mad. Just- just tired."

She yawned for good measure.

"Well, okay then. But don't waste all your free time sleeping."

She laughed forcibly, hoping to end the conversation there so she could be alone. Really, she felt bad for blowing him off, but it couldn't be helped. Taiki ran a hand through his now wet locks, and nodded towards her, heading off in his own direction while she stood outside the giant doors of Konan's building.

As soon as Taiki was out of sight, Sakura looked around and noticed a small cafe nearby and decided to go there. Pulling her raincoat hood over her head, she made it there in no time, and decided to take a seat outside under the awning- within viewing distance of the building she just left. Her eyes were fixed to the door as she sat, shrouded in her bulky raincoat.

A waiter came to ask if she wanted anything, and she ordered an espresso which she now sipped absently while waiting for a familiar shape to emerge from the doors of the building across the street. Time drew on for Sakura, and minutes felt like hours as her heart beat loudly in contrast to the soft patter of rain. She had no time to think things through- about why exactly she was doing this- but she felt it was necessary. Eventually, a tall, dark form exited the building and Sakura's beating heart now felt like it leapt up into her throat.

Wide-eyed, she watched from her hidden vantage point as her target strode off somewhere. As soon as he left her line of sight, Sakura quickly got up and left the cafe preparing to follow him. As she walked from a good distance behind him, she realized the mild excitement she was feeling. At this point, Sakura finally decided that she didn't care. She didn't care that what she was doing was potentially wrong, or that perhaps deep inside she wanted to talk to him again. At this point Sakura felt that same sensation of control that she felt when she declined to give Ibiki information on Kisame. It was that control of her life and actions along with a slight rebellion that fuelled her steps along the slick streets.

This wasn't a mission. This wasn't an order. This wasn't someone else's decision. It was her own and she revelled in that.

Some time later, Sakura found herself high above the city, walking across a bridge as her target reached his destination. Ignoring the sudden jump in adrenalin as her fear of heights kicked in, she observed from behind a large pipe as Kisame unlocked the door of one of the rooms and after a second of pause, walked inside. As the near-silent thud of the door met the girl's ears, she licked her lips, not knowing what to do next.

_'What am I doing?' _

She found herself suddenly questioning herself as reality came down on her. It wasn't like she could expect Kisame to even remember her, considering how limited their time was together and how long ago it happened. And what would she say? What would they talk about? She wasn't even sure herself, but what she did know was that just seeing his familiar face had instigated a pang of something in her that made her body move of its own accord. Sakura's feet itched to move, and slowly she came out from behind the steel pipe and hesitantly walked forward towards the door.

It took her a few minutes to span only a couple of meters, but finally she stood at the door, convinced that her heart was going to over-palpitate and prematurely kill her. She kept her chakra masked while she tried to even her breathing.

_'S__top acting like a child, Sakura. Knock on the door- it's not hard.'_

She tried to encourage herself as she gulped down the thick nervousness she felt.

Her fist shakily rose up but then fell limply back to her side, as she admitted defeat to herself. She couldn't do it. It wasn't just a door. It was a metaphoric establishment of a connection- one that she tried hard to sever. The girl dejectedly turned and walked away, gripping the steel cables of the bridge tightly as she made her way back down, suddenly feeling nauseous.

_'A mistake. A big, freaking mistake. What is wrong with me? I am totally losing it.'_

A door opened from a few feet away and a dark voice broke through the rain.

"Wait. Don't run."

At the sound of that very recognizable voice, Sakura wanted to do just that- run- just like before. It was suddenly all too real.

She felt as he stepped outside and as each raindrop hit his skin, his hair, his body. She knew what those raindrops felt as they connected, and somehow, that was comforting. With great difficulty she turned around to face the one that plagued her thoughts.

He stood in just his black, calf-length pants and mesh shirt, but Sakura's eyes locked onto his own like magnets. Deep, dark, void, alien eyes.

At that moment, she remembered something Sai had told her when she came upon him drawing a still life once.

.-.-.-._flashback_.-.-.-.

"Wow, that looks amazing! I'm so jealous," Sakura said, motioning to the small arrangement of items and then to the consequent drawing of them in the lap of her artistically inclined teammate Sai.

He smiled his politically correct smile in thanks, and ripped a page out of his sketchbook, offering it to the girl hovering over him.

"Here. You try," he flatly said, handing her a pencil next.

She mustered her most confident face and plopped down next to him on the grass, ready to wow him with her own skills. After lightly scribbling down some lines and being frustrated at the result, she caved in and asked for some advice.

Sai pointed to a flower in the still life, and asked, "Sakura, what do you see?"

"It's a rose."

"And what are you drawing?"

"Get to the point, Sai-_sensei_," she said with steadily decreasing interest.

"Your mistake is that you are drawing what you see in your head- the way the rose looks from your memory; a combination of all the other roses you have seen. Instead, try to draw what your _eye_ sees, and ignore the images in your mind."

.-.-.-.

At the time, Sai's words were lost on her as just another weird, cryptic thing the guy talked about, but now she understood as she looked into Kisame's eyes with her own- not the amalgam of memories in her brain.

They weren't so alien as she thought. And it was as if for the first time she truly studied his face, the way his brow just slightly crinkled as if he was both perturbed and lost- just like she felt.

Sakura let out a soft laugh, simultaneously allowing the breath she held to escape. Would he see relief in her eyes?

"I'm done with running, Kisame."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N**: Herro my sexies. So here's the next chapter posted a bit later than I had imagined- sooo sorry about that. But hey, at least it's long! Btw, to all of you who are sending me messages afraid that I'll abandon this story- don't worry, it's not gonna happen... I'm mostly writing this for myself, to see if I'm even capable of writing something longer than a college research paper. LOL, so yeah. This is my bebeh, and I'll finish it even if it kills me :B

Oh, and also because I love Kisame and there aren't enough non-gay portrayals of him out there.

Enjoy~

* * *

Kisame was unsure of how to respond now that Sakura was standing there after having sought him out. All he knew was that somehow, it pleased him that she had done so, and that he wasn't left standing with the view of her retreating back once more; he really _didn't_ want her to leave. The artificial lights and signs scattered on the buildings around them flashed on and off, illuminating the bleary darkness of the night as the sound of the rain heavily hitting the steel skeletons of the city filled the moments of silence which stretched on for what seemed like forever. Both of their minds were busily working to find words which to relay to their throats, and finally Kisame's voice broke through the rain.

"Why are you here?"

It was a legitimate question but Sakura was taken aback by it, unsure of what to tell him. Her eyes darted around nervously, like prey backed into a corner, but it was evident the girl was forcefully fighting the reflexive reaction. She cleared her throat and stilled her fidgeting hands, dropping her arms rigidly to her sides.

"Well- I... I saw you, and well... I want to talk, I guess."

Inwardly she winced at how inarticulate she sounded, but nonetheless waited patiently for his response. Kisame remained rooted in his spot, bathed in the harsh yellow light emitted from his opened apartment door. Sakura tried hard to ignore the heightened definition of his muscles beneath the tight black shirt in the effulgence of the light, so instead she trained her gaze onto the floor. He observed the hooded, drenched girl across from him; without being able to see her pink hair, she looked so plain, so ordinary. Except no ordinary girl sought out the rogue Mist-nin Kisame for nothing. He sighed.

"Do you want to come in?" he offered a bit hesitantly, his words coming out choppy. Kisame had no clue how to go about treating this situation, so he just decided to wing it hereon. This was all so unexpected after all.

There was a tension in the air at his question and Sakura chewed her lip uncomfortably.

_'Decline. Decline. Decline-'_

"Sure," she finally said, the word falling from her lips like a lead weight.

Kisame stepped even further away from the door, leaving a large space between him and the opening, almost afraid Sakura would make physical contact with him upon entering. She paused, clearly reconsidering the invitation, but slowly her feet moved forward- keeping her eyes averted from him.

Sakura walked into the small apartment and backed herself flush against a wall and shortly after, Kisame followed, closing the door behind him with a loud click. Without the ambience of the rainfall from outside, every sound was now amplified, and Sakura tried to slow her breathing in case she exhaled too loud.

She kept her bottom lip worried between her teeth as she fidgeted with the hem of her jacket, trying hard to avoid looking around his apartment. This was surreal. She had just been invited into Kisame's living quarters. _Akatsuki_, her mind echoed- but it was becoming easier and easier to dismiss the word and its connection to this man. Trying to avoid confronting the tall Mist nin - who now was also dripping wet - her eyes accidentally landed on the bed on the opposite side of the wall she stood against. Instantly, a heat emanated from her face at both her predicament, and the sudden intimacy of their surroundings.

Kisame just stood by the entrance, observing the crescendoing nervousness of the girl, and then offered her a seat at a small table situated between the door and a small kitchen. The drenched girl took off her raincoat before sitting and Kisame promptly thrust out his arm taking it, glad for something to do in such a strange situation. He cleared his throat uncomfortably as he hung the wet garment onto a coat rack and then went and leaned against a wall across from where Sakura now sat. Sitting at the table with her would've been too close for comfort.

She gave a tight-lipped, almost sheepish smile as she rubbed her arm, her green eyes darting around, finally giving in to her curiosity.

_'No use being embarrassed now, Sakura- you asked for it,'_ she thought to herself.

The girl took in every detail in the compact apartment room as if she hoped to learn something from each little thing- something more about his character- something epiphany-inducing. The hauntingly familiar Samehada was propped up against the wall adjacent to his bed, and on the other side was the coat rack on which her maroon raincoat now hung juxtaposed next to his black one. Sakura quickly looked away, her eyes landing on the tiny kitchen ahead of her, and then the wall next to the arched entranceway, where Kisame now stood.

"So you live here?" she finally spoke, hoping to fill the impossible silence, eyes still roving.

"For the time being," he responded.

"I see."

It explained the sparse furnishings anyway. She wondered if he had an actual home somewhere and then stopped that train of thought as it began to head into the direction of another, more personally-connected missing ninja without a family or home. Silence ensued for a bit longer as neither shinobi knew what to say to the other.

"You knew I followed you," she blurted out mostly to distract herself, zeroing in on a steadily expanding drop of water on the table.

"I sensed your chakra as I was going up the stairs."

"Oh..." she said blankly, only partly regretful of her slip-up. Maybe her chakra masking faltered as her fear of heights kicked in- who knew?

_'Who cares.'_

Her wet hair continued dotting the table in droplets of water, which she swiped away with her arm.

"Where's your companion?" came Kisame's voice, startling the girl out of her fidgeting. Sakura's head shot up and she straightened in her seat.

"What?"

"Hm... _Taiki_, was it?"

The girl's eyes widened in shock that he knew, and then narrowed in confusion. Kisame just looked as smug as she remembered, still leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"How do you know?" she questioned and then got up from her chair, planting her palms firmly on the tabletop and looking him straight in the eyes, "Were you following _me_?"

There it was. That fire in her sea green eyes. Kisame finally smirked.

"It's not my fault the kid can't keep his mouth closed. I overheard him talking in a bar the other night," he said, shrugging.

Sakura sat back down slowly, suddenly trying to figure out why her partner would be talking about her openly- and what else he might have said that could possibly jeopardize their mission.

_'Idiot, Taiki! Who the hell made you ANBU anyway? Probably a case of nepotism.'_

Sakura asked Kisame if he had overheard anything of importance, but he assured her it was just an casual comment that Taiki made, not wanting to enlighten her about the nature of it. At any rate, he was just glad some of the previous tension in the room had lifted.

Sakura had her arms crossed too now, still frustrated at her incompetent partner.

"Yes, _well_. We're here on a mission," she told him matter-of-factly, hoping to drop the subject and not further inquire him about Taiki, "and you?"

"Visiting," he began, carefully wording his answer, "...acquaintances."

_'Konan,'_ Sakura mentally filled in. She had figured as much, but decided to tease him about it anyway, "_You_ have friends?"

"_Acquaintances_, I believe was the word."

Sakura stifled the urge to grin at the defensiveness in his voice. Despite their time apart, and limited collection of interactions, it felt comfortably familiar talking to this man. She found she enjoyed the way he sometimes paused almost contemplatively or feigned annoyance when he spoke. Or how he always sounded like he was sardonically taunting, laced with a strange good humor.

_'Describe any speech impediments, verbal style...'_

Her mind proceeded to remind her of his status by recalling that incriminating booklet Ibiki had given her to fill out. Thinking about that though, made her mood dampen again. The reason she was in this foreign country in the first place was because of Kabuto- _and_ Kisame. Now she was falling back into that same mistake all over again- and she hated being reminded of it all the time.

Sakura immediately stomped those thoughts out of her mind. Not tonight. Not now. Maybe she would turn them over tomorrow and be depressed about it, but not _now_. In this moment, she just wanted... well she didn't know what she wanted, but the intrinsic pull to be here in the first place must have meant something.

"Kisame," she began, licking her lips, "I don't really know why I came here, to be honest."

The blue-skinned man stared down at her seated form, realizing he had asked himself the same thing the night before when he followed her partner Taiki back to his motel from the bar, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl.

But he wasn't going to tell her that. In fact, he didn't know what to tell her at all. Not himself, nor her. Perhaps they had some mysterious, lingering, unresolved thing which had yet to be taken care of between them, but it didn't matter. He squared his shoulders and inhaled deeply, catching Sakura's underlying scent amidst the earthy, dingy, smell of rainwater and metal.

_'Nice...'_

Or, maybe it was much simpler. Maybe they sought each other out just because it was agreeable. Some part if him hoped she thought so anyway.

"Well, kunoichi," he began as he finally stepped away from the wall he leaned against and turned around towards the kitchenette, searching for something, "I don't know what to tell you, but I will say that I'm surprised."

He emerged from the kitchen with a small towel and gave it to the seated girl who accepted it gratefully.

"Surprised?" she inquired softly, now patting the back of her neck and face with the towel.

"I'm surprised you came."

She blushed a little. Was it really so weird? They did sort of know each other, despite their conflicting alliances- past or present. Having felt his presence in Konan's building- having seen his attire, his skin- she just _had_ to follow him. She had to confirm that whatever moments they had shared weren't some bizarre dream and that her village's silent persecution of her wasn't for nothing. And really, he had been sort of- _nice_- to her.

"Hah, well you _know_," she began, putting the towel onto the tabletop and folding it, "I guess you're a familiar face..."

Kisame chuckled softly trying to distract himself from the tiny twinge of something he felt deep within.

"My, my. How perceptions can change."

Sakura looked up at him ready to say something defensively but noticed his arm as he ran a hand through his hair. Her eyes locked onto his wrist and the purple, ragged line which encircled it still.

A melancholic cloud stirred in her chest upon noticing the visible reminder of a time they once shared.

"I never apologized about that time, back when-"

"No use dwelling on the past. I'm fine," he interrupted, dismissing her. He knew what she was going to say, but he preferred not to think of that particular segment in his life, and it always made him uncomfortable to do so. The memories brought regret- an emotion he never allowed himself to feel.

"I envy you, then..." she responded, absently plucking a thread from the folded towel.

All she ever did was dwell on the past- what has been, could have been, should have been. She was in Rain country because of the past; because Konoha wanted her to get her memory back and whatever else. Sakura sighed. Maybe she could ask Kisame about these things, but again, not tonight. Those were loaded topics which she just didn't want to deal with at the moment.

Instead, they spoke about small, insignificant things. About the village: Sakura hated the heights, Kisame hated the clutter. About the rain: he found it calming, she found it overbearing. Sakura was sassy, he was sardonic. Pink and blue, fire and water. And as the two spoke about nothing, they both felt a slight lightening of their shoulders as a result. It was sinfully easy to fall back into their previous light-hearted banter and forget why they were in each other's company in the first place.

Eventually, the girl gingerly rose from her seat, and smiled at the shark-man.

"I should really head back," she said, glancing at the clock which noted it was already past eleven.

Kisame straightened and nodded lightly at the girl who went to retrieve her raincoat. She noticed the Akatsuki coat and its trademark pattern poking out from under a similarly-fashioned plain black one.

"What's this? Are you getting rid of this thing finally?" she said, trying to resist the urge to touch the red clouds embroidered on the fabric.

He shrugged.

"Eventually."

Sakura smiled slightly, then her brow knitted into a small frown as she remembered something. Her hand travelled down the side of her thigh until her fingers felt a small bump beneath the fabric of her shorts. Immediately she unclasped the button holding the tiny pocket closed and fished out the offending object inside. She drew it up slowly, inspecting it with her mildly disbelieving eyes.

"Keh, you still have that stupid thing?" Kisame said upon seeing the girl holding his Akatsuki ring in her hand.

"...yeah. I guess I do..." she softly spoke observing it for the first time since she locked it away months ago. She closed her palm around the object and then looked up at Kisame who still looked a bit puzzled.

"I'd like to see you again, Kisame," she said with slightly more resolve.

"That would be fine," he responded a bit awkwardly, taken aback by her sudden unabashed attitude.

Sakura put on her coat and turned the doorknob, preparing to return to her motel room. There was so much more she wanted to talk about, but she would have to wait. They decided to meet the next night at a particular spot and resume their talk there. Sakura gave him a faint smile, put on her hood, and headed off into the rain.

Kisame closed the door when she was out of sight and stood leaning against it for a few drawn out minutes, deep in thought. It was difficult to distinguish what exactly just happened between himself and the pink haired girl from Konoha, but whatever it was, it certainly managed to put a dent in his plans- and his tenacity.

He had planned to leave Amegakure in the morning, but tomorrow he would go tell Konan he changed his mind.

He would stay for just a bit longer.

.-.-.-.

"What's gotten into you?"

Sakura looked up from her hunched over position at Taiki who sat across from her.

"Um. What?" she questioned curiously, biting into a piece of chicken.

"You're eating," he pointed to her plate, filled with various food from the buffet they were in. Sakura and Taiki were on their lunch break from working at the archives again, and despite her slight annoyance at his blabbing, she decided to join him and be in good spirits. Relatively.

"I always eat, idiot. It's just your standards for amounts consumed are so high you don't notice when I do," she jabbed, dramatically chewing her rice in emphasis.

"Hah! Or maybe you're just ditching a failed diet?" he suggested, grinning.

"Failed? What are you trying to say?" Sakura snapped, trying hard not to stab him with a chopstick.

"Oh, so you were on a diet."

"No... do I _need_ to be?"

"If you ask me," he began, then upon noticing her dangerous smile, reconsidered his words, "uh... no you don't."

Sakura pinned him with an icy glare, and then flicked a pea at him for good measure.

"Hey!" Taiki protested, trying to locate the offending legume from somewhere in his white hair.

The kunoichi just continued eating, and smiled, looking out the window adjacent to her and into the streets- wet, gray, hard, industrial- but the people inhabiting them were jovial enough, chatting amongst each other, shopping, smiling, eating, living. They didn't allow the physical atmosphere to affect them.

And she wouldn't let anything affect the lightened mood she was in. Not her warring thoughts- which were just waiting to present her with cold, hard evidence of why tonight, she should abstain from meeting with Kisame. Again. In precisely eight hours, seven minutes and eleven seconds.

The butterflies in Sakura's stomach made themselves known again, and she swallowed a chunk of her rice ball in hopes of stilling them. Last night was almost like a dream, but the way it affected her was jarringly real. They had just talked. Small talk- nothing amazing or enlightening or particularly interesting. But it was the fact that for once, she surrendered her inhibitions to the likes of Kisame, and it was perplexing.

The fact was, she hadn't been able to speak to anyone so freely since being captured by Kabuto. Her friends back in Konoha were supportive, but she could see the pity in their eyes every once in a while. They avoided certain topics which once were fair game- they stepped around eggshells. It felt to Sakura as if everyone was either judging her based on her stupid ordeal or worried how she would act since they buried an empty coffin into a grave with her name on it. It was all so utterly frustrating. How strange that she should find at least a bit of comfort in someone like Kisame.

Once again, the butterflies fluttered.

The anxiety she was feeling now was different; it wasn't like the nervous anxiety she felt before. This time it was more like...

_'Excitement,'_ she inwardly thought.

Sakura was mildly taken aback at herself, but really, if she was feeling excited about something after so long, she was going to embrace it; the reason didn't matter.

_'For now, anyway.'_

"By the way, are you going to finish that?" Taiki piped up, poking a dumpling on her plate with his chopstick.

"Go for it," she responded, still absorbed in her thoughts.

And she didn't care that Taiki had initially lied to her about that first part of their mission, or that he was such a loud mouth, or that he had scribbled down only half a page of notes for their mission that day- no, she was going to focus on redeeming qualities.

"Mhmhpgphl," came the noise from said man's throat as he chewed the dumpling with a near-orgasmic expression on his face- a sticky line of soy sauce trickling down his chin.

Sakura paused, looking pitifully perturbed at the shinobi in front of her.

_'Redeeming qualities... redeeming qualities...'_

Then again, she could always just treat him like a little kid- that would lower expectations. As sad as it was, even Konohamaru seemed more mature than the man seated across from her. Suddenly it dawned on her that she still didn't know much about her partner aside from his insatiable appetite and his tendency to be annoying and loud.

"Hey, Taiki- how'd you become ANBU?" Sakura inquired nonchalantly, but quietly lest anyone listen in.

He grinned a saucy grin, "_Skills_, Sak. I got skills."

"Oh? What skills? I've never seen you fight." she tested, ignoring the cocky waggling of his eyebrows and shortening of her name.

He just plucked another piece of food from her plate and continued- much to Sakura's chagrin- with his mouth open.

"Mm! Wellph- I'm pretty good with battle tactics, and nun chucks. Wait, check this out," he said as he began digging around for something strapped to his back. After some fumbling he retrieved said weapon and swung out the two chained, metal sticks, clinking them together.

"Taiki, stop it!" Sakura said trying not to raise her voice, grabbing the man by the wrists and prying the nun chucks from his hands. She noticed the volume of the chattering in the restaurant lower as they all likely stared at the scene unfolding between the two.

"Aw come on, you're such a bore Sakura-chan. I was only going to show you the inscription on them."

She looked down and noticed 'Maito Gai' and something about youth engraved in the metal at the base of the weapon. Sakura didn't look impressed.

"That's it?"

"What? I got taught by the master himself!" he exclaimed, hugging them to his face.

Gai-sensei certainly attracted the interesting ones, she noted.

"I know you're jealous, but hurry up, we got work to do," Taiki said, replacing his beloved weapon back on his vest.

"You mean _I've_ got work to do," she retorted, as she then noticed Taiki swipe the last of her lunch off her plate. She sighed.

_'Well, at least he's good at being sneaky and distracting,'_ she inwardly thought as they rose, getting ready to leave.

.-.-.-.

The rest of the day dragged on longer than Sakura could have imagined.

As she sat with a gigantic scroll draped over her lap, she tried hard to focus on its contents, but was having more and more difficulty doing so, since her eyes kept darting to the clock mounted on the wall in the room. She chewed on her pen and looked back down.

The scroll was some sort of financial document, detailing various funds and spending Akatsuki had done for something. According to the information she had gathered in the past two days, Sakura deduced that it was likely the stitched up man Kakuzu who was in charge of the money aspect. Even Ino had mentioned that the man had been preoccupied with how much ryo he could fetch for a body.

_'...like Asuma's.'_

Sakura paused for a moment realizing once more just how serious this work was- somehow it was startlingly easy to forget. She jotted down Kakuzu's name next to her notes on Akatsuki's finances. Was it useful now that he was dead? Who knew. The girl continued her research. Many people were killed for reward money, as she grimly found out, and said money was used to fund whatever things Akatsuki needed. Likely, that included weapons, allies, bribes, secrets, forbidden jutsus-

_'Coats and rings...'_

Instinctively her hand pressed against the side of her thigh. Her thoughts always lead back to that man. Even with an absence of information on him, it seemed he mostly occupied her brain.

Sakura tore her eyes from the scroll dotted with numbers and names. Once again, she was successfully distracted.

_'Six thirty. Six thirty-one. Six thirty-two...'_ she repeated mentally, now watching the hands on the clock do their routine rounds.

"Hey Sakura. Come take a look at this," came Taiki's voice from beyond Paper Mountain.

"Taiki, for the hundredth time, I don't care about your stupid nun chucks," she said, still watching the clock.

"No, it's not that."

Reluctantly tearing her eyes away from the mesmerizing clock hands, the girl strained her neck sideways to get a glimpse of Taiki, but then declared it futile and walked over to his side.

"What is it?"

"A file on Kabuto," he said, looking up and giving her the document- his eyes intensely trained on her face.

She was initially shocked, but then remembered that Taiki was already aware of what had happened with her and she instinctively tensed.

Sakura snatched it and began reading. It was a standard file denoting his shinobi skills and attributes. She felt a slight chill as she read on, remembering his sneer, his cold eyes, and his anything-but-honorable way of using honorifics. After she was through, she turned back to Taiki who now teetered on the back legs of his chair.

"There's nothing special about this, Taiki. Konoha already has enough intel on Kabuto."

_'At my expense, no less,'_ she bitterly spat in the confines of her mind.

"Yeah but why would _Akatsuki_ have this document?"

Sakura looked back down at it suddenly kicking herself for being so unobservant. Dense, attention-deficit, Taiki was one-upping her. Not good. Then a mental light bulb flicked on in her mind.

"Well, Sasori was affiliated with him at one point. I think Kabuto was spying for him or something, but he turned out to be a double-agent, working for Orochimaru as well- who by the way was also a member once."

Taiki continued to look at her as if he was deeply interested, but Sakura had her doubts he even understood half of what she said.

"Oh and by the way," the girl added, giving him the paper back, "if this is another trick of yours to try and get me to recover any lost memories, it's not going to work."

Her tone was icy and she walked back to her seat. It was hard to tell with him, but she had to say it- Sakura _hated_ being toyed with.

"You know Sakura, not everything is about you all the time."

Sakura decided not to say anything in response, glad to be shielded behind the stack of papers now. She didn't like how mature he sounded and the slight pang of guilt she felt at his words. Sniffing, she pretended she was immensely absorbed in her work again, as she watched from the periphery of her vision as Taiki left the room.

"Jerk," she murmured after he left. Okay, maybe she had been unnecessarily bitchy, but it was only a defence mechanism. Whatever, she'd apologize later.

In the subsequent stark silence Sakura worked, ignoring the clock and the absence of her partner. As a result, she had filled out several pages of her journal and continued rifling through the pile of documents in order to find information on the elusive Madara. It was like digging through a haystack to find a needle. Also annoying, was the mass of random information on people she didn't recognize. Anonymous names, data files and pictures of people who were either victims or allies of the Akatsuki; she didn't know what to make of it all, but jotted down vague notes just in case. Some time later, Sakura was interrupted by one of the patrolling guards as his head shot in through the door.

"It's time to wrap it up, miss."

"Oh, yeah sure," she said, once again glancing up at the clock and noticing how late it had become.

Quickly she gathered her notes and tried to tidy up her workspace a bit before following the guard outside. Taiki hadn't returned, but she guessed that was his plan and she thought no further of it, assuming he had already left to go get drunk or something.

As she rode the elevator down and remembered who she was about to go meet, that knot in her stomach returned. Closing her eyes and clutching her bag close, she tried to even out her breathing and relax, not understanding why she was still acting like such a schoolgirl. The elevator dinged and she walked out into the main lobby, briskly exiting into the streets. She stopped for a moment, looking around in either direction- searching for any sign of Taiki or someone else- and then began her course towards the appointed meeting spot. She ignored answering the question that so desperately wanted to be asked: what would happen if Taiki knew where she was headed?

What would happen if Konoha found out?

To Sakura, it was becoming of less and less consequence. For now- for the small duration of their mission in Amegakure- she would have this one last chance to converse with Kisame, for whatever purpose it would serve. In a desperate attempt to justify her actions, she decided if Konoha did somehow find out about her secret meeting with the Mist ninja, she would foist it off as an opportunity to gather missing intelligence on the Akatsuki.

_'Not even I would buy that,'_ she scoffed inwardly.

Determined, she walked on, not letting her rational side inquire about any more potential consequences to hypothetical situations. Dusk was settling over Amegakure once again and to Sakura's surprise, she noticed it had ceased to rain. Only the damp humidity hung in the air making it thick and cool. She walked through the narrow labyrinth of infrastructure following the directions she received the night before. After some painstaking navigation, Sakura made it to the far end of the shipping sector where Kisame said to meet. As she slowed her walk, she noticed how quiet and how deserted the area was. Finally Sakura read the sign that indicated the loading pier she was looking for and quickly followed it. Walking down a series of metal steps which seemed to go underneath the city, she made her way to the short concrete dock overlooking a vast expanse of dark water- the lake- which Amegakure was built on.

Despite the greyness of the atmosphere, it was still beautiful in its own way. The faint tree line in the distance was the only indicator that this was only a lake and not the endless ocean that it seemed. The usual hum of the city activity was dulled and she took a moment to enjoy just listening to the gentle sound of the lake. She didn't need to do any guesswork to figure out why Kisame chose such a secluded place to meet- it was quiet, deserted and of course, surrounded by water. Briefly Sakura wondered if she would see the man jump out from under the water's surface after a round of night time fishing or whatever else shark-men did. She stifled a laugh at the thought, relaxing a little.

Her large backpack suddenly made its presence known and she slid it off her sore shoulders and plopped it onto the ground unceremoniously. Sakura decided to take a seat as well, leaning against a pipe as she dangled her feet over the edge of the pier. As she rolled and massaged her sore shoulders, she felt that unique chakra presence behind her.

Sakura turned her body slightly to get a view of the man who leapt from the top of the metal stairs and landed down onto the concrete pier- the fluttering of his coat the only resulting sound of the action. With a fleeting pang of disappointment, Sakura noticed that he was fully dressed and donned his enormous sword. She took a guess that he probably never left anywhere without it.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," she responded with a small smile.

Kisame sauntered over to join the girl at the edge of the pier, removing the hulking sword from his back as he sat down near her. Their proximity to one another wasn't uncomfortable this time, and neither was the silence that ensued as both gazed into the black water ahead of them and listened to its rhythmic swirling. After a while, Sakura felt like talking and searched around in her hazy mind for a safe topic to start with.

_'Politics? No. Weather..?'_

"Sure is nice without the rain for once," she blurted out.

"You don't have to be so boring, kunoichi," he responded, grinning as Sakura's brow furrowed in shock.

"What the hell! I'm just trying to make conversation since you're so damn quiet all the time!"

Kisame snickered, proud to have won his personal bet concerning how quickly he could rile her up. Really, he couldn't resist- it was too easy.

"Well you can try by saying what's actually on your mind," he said.

"Really? Okay, well firstly, I think you're extremely _rude_ and have the social skills of a dead rat, and secondly I can't stand that creepy sword of yours- I swear it was moving towards me!" Sakura ranted, inching away from Samehada, which was set on the ground between her and Kisame.

He grinned widely, unfazed by her ranting, and grabbed the sword by its hilt, twirling it easily in his hand.

"I would watch what you say around her, she's quite sensitive," he said, inspecting Samehada as if checking for wounds, then patting it, "and by the way, I think she likes the taste of your chakra," he said looking towards Sakura with a predatory gleam in his eye.

"Oh _hell_ no- my chakra is not sword food, so don't try anything or you'll feel my fist on your jaw again. Or, did you forget how that felt?" she taunted, raising said appendage threateningly.

Kisame chuckled, thoughtfully rubbing his jaw as if trying to recall the memory.

"I _let_ that happen, kunoichi. Don't think you'd be so lucky again."

"Ha! Don't be a sore loser now, shark-face. Someone is _clearly_ upset because he got taken down by a girl," she retorted smugly, wanting to poke him in the chest for emphasis, but refraining from doing so.

Kisame just scoffed and stretched out his long legs before raising one up on the concrete to bend at the knee, the other dangling over the edge.

"I don't think I could've been too upset after having a little kunoichi sprawled all over me, now could I? Or have _you_ forgotten?" he said, remembering how she fell on him after her hit landed that time in the forest. Of course, he was only saying this to get a rise out of her, and in no way did he actually enjoy the brief moment of Sakura's lithe body plastered against him. Not at all.

His tactic seemed to have shut Sakura up effectively though, and Kisame watched as she turned bright red and her eyebrow twitched in what he imagined was great fury. She seemed composed, with her closed eyes and almost serene expression, but Kisame knew otherwise. In an instant, one of her gloved hands curled into a tight fist and headed straight towards him. Kisame was caught off guard but managed to leap back and avoid the chakra-laced hit.

She wasted no time lunging forward again, and bared her teeth in a growl. Kisame's own sharp teeth shone in the darkness as he grinned widely. This turn of events was unpredictable but definitely not unwanted. A little fight to start things off was always the best way to loosen up- and it had been a while for him. Kisame jumped up and off the pier, channelling chakra to his feet as he landed on the black water with a splash. Sakura followed immediately, leaping high into the air and kicking out a leg intending to get him from above. Unfortunately for her, this was his territory and she could never best him on it, even though he wasn't going to use any actual water techniques. He dodged neatly and watched as she touched down, leaping away from him.

Sakura smirked at her foe, her hands blazing bright green as she and Kisame stood meters apart on the water's surface. The adrenalin rush she felt was making her feel deliciously alive and inwardly she was glad Kisame decided to taunt her to this point. It was clear he didn't actually want to kill her, considering he left Samehada on the pier, so she decided to indulge in the little spar. She needed someone to take some rage out on, and Kisame would make a fine- albeit overdressed- punching bag, she decided.

"What's wrong, kunoichi? Afraid to get a little wet?" came his voice from ahead.

Sakura smirked at the innuendo, and skimmed the water heading towards him at incredible speed.

"Hey gills, have I ever told you how much I love to go fishing?"

.-.-.-.

Forty five minutes later, Sakura and Kisame were back on the dock regaining their energy after a long spar. Both were soaked from a combination of water and sweat, and Sakura rummaged through her backpack looking for her raincoat and put it on.

She had to admit, she felt thoroughly relaxed after fighting with Kisame. In some weird way, it calmed her and unwound days' worth of tension from her mind and body. Her muscles were a bit sore from the exertion but it was almost unnoticeable in light of how great she felt- even though she lost. The girl leaned back on her palms and inhaled the brisk air as she waited for her heart to steady its beating.

"Not bad kunoichi, but you need to work on your form," came Kisame's voice from nearby sounding perfectly recovered. Sakura knew he could easily beat her, but she still gave him a run for his money. A few times she got tantalizingly close, but he always managed to avoid her attacks. Oh, well. Inwardly she still felt a surge of pride that someone like Kisame would even want to spar with her. She smiled.

"So you're here for diplomatic reasons then?" he questioned after giving her enough time to recover.

"You don't have to pretend, I'm sure Konan told you."

"Not everything."

Sakura explained the gist of her mission, not tearing her eyes away from the strangely soothing lake. Somehow, she still felt ashamed telling him about what she was doing, but he seemed not to be fazed about it.

"I couldn't care less about Akatsuki anymore," he said, only reassuring her a little.

"Well, at least I'm not digging up anything on you," she added.

"Heh, I'm sure if you did, you wouldn't have come here tonight," he responded jokingly. Inwardly, he was glad Konan didn't sell him out by providing whatever information there was on him to anyone else.

Sakura became a bit sullen, ignoring his comment.

"Konoha doesn't trust me," she began candidly, "because of what happened."

_'Between us.'_

"Ah, so you're here to redeem yourself," he stated.

"Or I'm in exile," she said with a sigh. After a few seconds, she realized just how petty she was being. Here she was speaking of exile to a man who had no home.

"I'm sorry," Sakura apologized, inwardly wincing. She didn't know exactly how Kisame became a missing Kirigakure nin- even though it likely included much bloodshed- but she still didn't want to be unfair. She wondered if he would ever tell her.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," he responded, not entirely sure why the girl was apologizing.

"It's just- I'm not sure what to think anymore. About everything."

Kisame observed Sakura from his position to her right, trying to figure her out. Each time a light flashed across her features, the man took in more and more of her contemplative sadness. Something was certainly different about her now; she was conflicted. But at the same time, he didn't really do advice- even though some part of him wanted to admit he knew how she felt; the world of ninja was never straight-forward.

"Kisame, I wanted to ask you about that time when we were... well, kidnapped," she said, finally turning towards him. _'God, that sounds wrong.'_

Kisame ran a large hand through his gravity-defying hair, as he realized it was inevitable that the subject would eventually come up.

"What about it?" he said, trying to sound as indifferent as possible.

Sakura licked her lips, trying to find a way to approach it. Knowing what Kisame went through was infinitely worse than her experience, and she didn't want to hit any sensitive nerves.

"Well, after I returned to Konoha, I had to go through some, uh, evaluations."

Kisame snorted, recalling Ibiki and his unethical methods.

"Anyway, they did a mental check and needless to say, found out about some things..."

_'Ah.'_ Suddenly it became clear what his role must have played in Sakura's life. Persecution for consorting with the enemy. And on top of that, considering Ibiki had a personal vendetta against him, he must have laughed after retrieving all the information on him he could get. Splendid. He really _should_ have killed her when he had the chance. Should have, but didn't. Kisame still couldn't regret spending those few days with Sakura after escaping, but what about now? Once again, he opened the door and invited in the monkey wrench which was being thrown into his life.

_'Oh well- at least it was a feisty, okay-looking monkey wrench,'_ he thought to himself in amusement.

"Yeah so they saw what happened, but what's weird is that my mind shut down after they came across one particular memory- while I was in Rain Country doing the mission I was initially sent on. I walked into a bar, apparently looking for some missing document stolen by thieves, and then my mind went blank and I passed out. If it wasn't for Tsunade, I would've been dead."

Kisame was pulled from his own thoughts at her admission.

"You nearly died?"

"Yeah, and I was wondering if you'd maybe know what it was."

Kisame knitted his brow in consternation. Was that why he couldn't recall much about how he ended up confined in a dungeon by the likes of a shrimp like Kabuto?

"Sounds like a mind barrier curse was implemented," he said, thinking aloud.

"Mind barrier _curse_?"

"Yeah. Enemies use it to either trigger coma or death upon recalling a particular memory or saying a name. It prevents information from leaking."

Sakura turned her gaze back towards the lake, her stomach suddenly flopping at Kisame's speculation. Her hand trailed to her lips in worry.

"That sounds like what one of my teammates has, but the seal is on his tongue," she said, thinking of Sai and the bar-like stripes on his tongue preventing him from talking about Danzo.

"Yeah, sounds about right. All I know is that our little friend Kabuto had no knowledge of such an elite kinjutsu."

"What? How do you know?"

Kisame turned towards the girl, who now looked utterly confused.

"Because it's an exclusive Uchiha technique."

Sakura paled as her face sunk in horror. She felt sick as visions of deadly, spinning red eyes danced around in the back of her mind.

"No! Not Sasuke, oh god, _please_!" she pleaded, now fully facing him. Her eyes desperately searched Kisame's for a hint of lying, but she found none. Instead, he just looked mildly perplexed.

"Sasuke? I doubt it. He's not the type to think that far ahead- probably would've killed you to save himself the trouble."

_'Smart guy.'_

Sakura fumed, getting up on her feet and yelling at the man still seated casually and spewing such falsehoods about her once-love.

"What the hell do you think you know? Don't you _dare_ talk about Sasuke to me!"

She was seething, her eyes stinging, just begging to release the dam of tears. Kisame's words tore right through the dark part of her memory, the tight stitches holding it closed unravelling as her suppressed turmoil threatened to explode. Her petite frame shook with adrenalin and it took all her energy to keep from completely breaking down.

Kisame rose as well, casting a shadow over her trembling form as he looked into her eyes. She could certainly be irritating.

"It's clear that you don't know much, kunoichi."

She wanted to punch him.

"I don't know about your connection to the kid, but from what I can tell it's one-sided."

"You're such a _jerk_!" she tried to yell out, but it only came out wobbly as her throat began to swell with the onset of tears.

"Would you like me to lie to you instead?" he shot back angrily, really hoping she wouldn't start crying. Kisame didn't understand the relationship she had with the Uchiha brat, but he didn't want to deal with this right now- there was a reason he didn't become a therapist.

Sakura opened her mouth to respond, but then didn't know what she wanted to say. Yes- lie just like everyone else? No- tell me the truth so I can fall into a depression I'll never return from? She turned her head away from the man, not wanting to face him- nor what he had to say. Simultaneously, a great shame washed over her as she realized who she was dumping her emotional baggage on.

"I don't want to hear it," she said quietly but firmly, and then went back to her previous position on the floor. If Kisame was going to be an ass about Sasuke, then she would take it out on him later, but now they had more pressing matters to attend to.

"Fair enough," Kisame responded a bit irritated, but grateful to whatever gods were out there that he stopped her tears- he really couldn't _stand_ crying. Dealing with emotional girls was in no way part of his expertise, and for what seemed to be the millionth time, he questioned his decision of being in Sakura's company. Briefly, he wondered if some part of him was secretly masochistic.

On top of that, he wanted to figure out what Sasuke and Sakura shared for them to have such clearly different feelings towards each other. Back at the lab, the boy had claimed he didn't even know her, yet she appeared to hold some deep feelings for him. _'A boyfriend?'_ He never understood trifling things like love, but from what he could tell, that was no healthy relationship. _'Perhaps she's a masochist too...'_ he mused to himself, inwardly smirking.

At any rate, the Uchihas were a confusing bunch and he didn't bother trying to figure them out anymore, but the disturbing fact remained that the curse seal placed on Sakura was going to have to be dealt with- after all, whoever placed it on her, could have done the same to him, and he was definitely not going to let someone have that kind of control over his person. Not again. It seemed he and the Konoha girl were placed in the same boat once more as her problems became his too. _'Great.'_

Glancing at the slumped girl, Kisame sighed, not really having any desire to pursue this particular conversation any more, but alas it was necessary. He waited for a moment and then proceeded to ask Sakura about what recollection she had about events prior to her capture. She looked to be lost in her thoughts, but answered him nonetheless. As they talked, it turned out neither he nor Sakura had barely any memory of being captured, but all they knew for sure was that it didn't happen at the same time. He remembered Sakura being dropped off in the cell he occupied days after he gained consciousness there. It hurt his pride to speak of it, but unfortunately there was a larger threat to deal with now.

"Keh, there was no way Kabuto had the balls to fight me," he said contemplatively, somewhat disappointed that he hadn't considered that before, " if he did, he would've died much sooner."

Sakura tried not to roll her eyes at him. Men and their pride. She continued.

"Do you think we're just making too big of a deal out of this? I mean, Kabuto's dead, and we're still alive," she said.

"Hm. It's true. I made sure to take my sweet time with the little fucker, and he was most definitely dead at the end..." he reminisced almost fondly, flexing his hands as he remembered how they ripped apart his organs.

"As glad as I am to hear that, please spare me the details."

Kisame chuckled at the girl who seemed to read his thoughts.

"Yeah, Kabuto is dead, but whoever put that curse on you isn't, otherwise it would have broken by now. And since you're still alive, kunoichi, perhaps they have further use of you?"

"Hey! You're in this too, you know," Sakura said, rubbing her arms. The chills she felt now did not come from the weather; she felt a genuine fear creep up under her skin at the thought that someone more powerful- an Uchiha- could be behind all of this. It was way out of her league, and she wondered who she could tell this information to when she returned to Konoha. Maybe Kakashi would know what to do.

"Mm. It seems our little ordeal isn't over just yet," Kisame continued.

"Yeah, well, what are we going to do about it?"

"We? You mean _me_."

"No- _we_. This concerns me more than you. My status in Konoha is jeopardized."

"I'm not sure you learned your lesson, kunoichi. Konoha doesn't trust their precious little medics wandering about with S-Class criminals."

"Excuse _me_, but I was the one who protested being your personal nurse back then! It's not my fault you blackmailed me into coming with you!" she jabbed, pointing at Samehada.

"And this time around, you needed no convincing," he teased.

Sakura didn't even bother getting angry with the man this time, especially since his words rang a bit too true. _'Note to self: never follow extremely rude shark-men around in foreign countries while on mission to redeem self for doing so in the first place.'_

"Yeah, what was I thinking," she said mostly to herself, greatly dramatizing her regret.

"Oh, and by the way, you seemed to quite enjoy being my, ah, 'personal nurse', if I do recall correctly."

Sakura flushed pink to her chagrin, and crossed her arms defiantly not looking at the smugly grinning Kisame.

"Then you don't recall correctly. It's not my fault you misinterpreted my professional medical skills as something else."

"It was hard not to."

"_Ugh!_ Remind me never to be nice to you again!"

"You'll come around."

Sakura just shook her head at him in exasperation, not understanding how such a serious conversation turned into a debate on her self-control. Again. And, she _had _self-control- of course- it was not her fault Kisame couldn't distinguish harmless healing from wanton groping. Which was absolutely not at all what she was doing. _Ever_.

"So, shark-face, I intend to do something about this situation and get my life back," Sakura said, ignoring his previous comment.

Kisame snorted in amusement.

"And what exactly do you plan on doing?"

She turned her head sharply towards Kisame, "I'm going to go find Sasuke."

"Keh, good luck with that."

"He'll help me. I know it, okay? If it's true that an Uchiha is only capable of knowing this type of jutsu, then what choice do I have?"

"Madara."

"What?" she said, taken aback by the name- the one she'd been searching for in the archives the entire time.

"You won't get to Sasuke so easily, kunoichi. He's doing the bidding of Uchiha Madara."

Sakura just looked at him in absolute horror.

"No- he's the leader of Akatsuki!"

Kisame sighed. Her views on everything were so innocent that he felt a bit guilty confronting her with the truth like this. It was alarming how much she didn't know, and he truly shouldn't tell her the whole story, but her naïveté was becoming quite annoying, so he felt obliged to. Either way, Sakura's rose-tinted world was about to get a whole lot greyer.

**.-.-.-.**

That night Sakura lay on her bed in her tiny motel room, rolling Kisame's yellow ring between her index finger and thumb. Curled in a fetal position, face covered in the residue of dried tears, she continued the rhythmic activity, trying not to think anymore about dark-haired boys and betrayal. Betrayal from more than one party, that is.

What Kisame had told her earlier had shook her to the core. All was _definitely _not as it seemed. _'Understatement of a lifetime,'_ she thought glumly, still hypnotized by the rotating kanji symbol on the inset. She was numb. Itachi, Sasuke, Akatsuki- everything was finally clarified for her. She laughed sharply- clarified by _Kisame_, no less. He told her about the things Konoha should have confessed to long ago. Sakura felt thoroughly disgusted. It was no wonder there were so many missing nin wandering the world. With all the dirty injustices and politics which made up the framework of hidden villages, it was to be expected that some would be unable to handle it. Again, she wondered about Kisame. He had kept anything about his own history veiled, but Sakura couldn't help but wonder what drove him away from Mist. Regardless, her preconceived notions about people were going to have to be revamped and thoroughly re-inspected hereon.

She inhaled deeply, trying to clear the fuzz from her mind and calm herself. Sakura set the ring onto the nightstand next to her Konoha forehead protector and then in a burst of irritation, opened the drawer and thrust them both in. How once she perceived the little swirled leaf as a symbol of virtue and pride- without knowing how much blood truly marred it. The Akatsuki ring was bloody too and it didn't hide the fact. Akatsuki didn't deny their crimes, whereas her village had neatly concealed and lied about theirs. In the end were they all the same, corrupt people?

It truly bothered her and made her second guess everything. Sakura felt restless now, and got off the bed, sauntering towards the bathroom in hopes that a warm shower could wash all the night's angst off her.

By the time Kisame had told her everything, she had no more energy to feel angry. Instead, she just felt like someone had scooped out her insides and all that was left was the hollow skin of a girl. Her real self was somewhere far away, watching as the villain lied to the heroine about her own village, her friends, her life.

Except in reality, there were no villains or heroes- there were just regular people doing things for reasons they thought were good. Ultimately it was all subjective. And Sakura didn't bother even considering that Kisame had lied to her- if anything, he was annoyingly incapable of being dishonest, even when it could benefit him. From what she could tell, he had no intention of voluntarily hurting her.

After it was said and done, she had calmly asked for him to give her some space, and he promptly left, not uttering a goodbye. It was fine though, because they both knew it wasn't goodbye anyway- in fact, it was anything but. She would see him again after sorting through her newly acquired information and clearing her mind. Sakura needed a plan. She needed to figure out what to do about this entire mess. Aside from learning the truth about Itachi, she still had to consider what to do about the alleged mind barrier curse that was applied to her. If Kisame was right, then the next step was clear.

Going after Sasuke would've been hard enough even if she didn't know about the added threat of Madara, but now Sakura had to rethink it all. She considered telling her teammates and her sensei, but then decided not to involve them. It wasn't because of her newfound trust issues- even though she knew their hands were still clean- but more because she didn't want to always have to depend on others to fix things for her; especially since she so stupidly told Naruto all those years ago to promise to bring back Sasuke for her. For _her_- because she wanted Sasuke all to herself and wasn't hesitant to use her well-intentioned teammate to get there- at any cost. Now of course, she and Naruto were best friends and she had openly told him to forget about the foolish promise made years ago. But Naruto was Naruto, and she knew he would honor his word to the death. It was time she stopped being selfish. It was time she did something truly useful and reunite her old team. Regardless what dark things hid amidst her birth village, team seven had always been true, and she needed that now- she needed to be surrounded by something _good_ and _pure_ and _true_ lest she go insane from all the deceit.

Yes, she would take care of Madara- with or without Kisame's help- and bring Sasuke back to Konoha. She would get her life back for sure this time.

* * *

**A/N:** Nearly 10k words, holy shit! But anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed all the dramaz in this and I hope nobody is confused by anything (please tell me if you are).

As a note, the whole "mind barrier curse" is pretty much my own interpretation and also the whole Uchiha-exclusive part of it is too (as far as I know). But the part where Sakura talks about Sai's barrier curse seal is actually in the manga, so I didn't make it up. Just to clear up confusion.

Anyways, R&R as usual as it feeds the fire that is this story, and thanks in particular to Nishiyama whose review made my day! And go read her awesome interpretation of Kisame in her Akatsuki drabbles cuz it's just the best _ever_.

I hope to have the next chap soon, and sorry in advance if I take this long to post it again.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:** This was going to be posted a couple of days after the last one, but the site was messed up and wouldn't let me upload any chapters. Anyway, enjoy and please reviewww! I also want to give a shoutout of appreciation and love to my sexy regulars who have been loyally reading/reviewing this story from early on. Ha, I know all your usernames by heart now and it brings me great joy to know that you guys still love this crazy story, so thanks :)

Peace out!

* * *

After shuffling together a thick stack of papers into a neat rectangle, Sakura placed it inside a filing cabinet which she then slid closed, taking a moment to stretch her neck muscles.

It was the fifth day of the week-long mission in Amegakure, and already she had thoroughly analyzed every last scrap of paper in the village archives on Akatsuki. After her talk with Kisame that night at the pier, she had devoted every waking hour to working in the stuffy room, not stopping until she had finished.

Closing her dry, sleep-deprived eyes, Sakura felt a bit disappointed that she was done. As gruelling as it was to sit reading and jotting down notes in a poorly lit room all day, it had been blissfully distracting. Distracting from reality and what was outside the walls which encased her. Beyond the steel structure she inhabited were duties and responsibilities and lies and death and _horrors_, and she just wanted to crawl into the filing cabinet with all the other papers and live in peace and ignorance.

_'Ugh. I need therapy.'_

Slapping a hand to her face as if to snap herself back to reality, Sakura straightened and prepared to leave. The long table in the center of the room was fully cleared and as usual, Taiki was absent from his post there. The man was undependable as a working partner, only making brief appearances whenever he pleased, but she was used to it by now and found she preferred to do the documentation on her own- at least that way she knew everything firsthand. Grabbing the backpack which hung from her chair, Sakura left for the door.

As a result of her work, three journals were fully filled with information on Akatsuki, but alas, not a single page had information on Uchiha Madara. Absolutely nothing. Remembering the fact, Sakura inwardly groaned.

_'Well except...'_

Except for what Kisame had personally divulged. Sakura paused in the corridor of the building, choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Yes, Kisame's firsthand knowledge about the man would certainly be an asset to Konoha- and every other ninja village for that matter. According to the shark-man, Madara had unleashed the kyuubi which killed Naruto's parents and aided Itachi in killing their clan. Sakura gulped down the bile which rose at that reverberation in her mind- it still sent chills down her spine.

Then she remembered how Konoha also had a hand in the Uchiha massacre and she stiffened even further, needing to stop her descent down the long, winding stairs of the tallest building in Amegakure.

Kisame didn't know exactly who had ordered the killings, but he did mention that the Hokage at the time - Sarutobi Hiruzen- was against it. Sakura pressed a clammy palm to her neck as she felt the hairs there raise at the thought of who it likely was that gave the go ahead. The elders. _Danzo_.

Immediately her thoughts went back to Sasuke. He knew this now. He had found it all out and Sakura couldn't even imagine how he felt. He had killed the brother who had sacrificed everything just so Sasuke could live. False pretenses. Screwing her eyes shut, Sakura forced the tears back from spilling down.

_'He must be in so much pain. __How, I wish I could be there to talk to him...'_

A small breath of air left her as she thought of the man so vulnerable. He needed his friends. He needed her.

Sakura straightened and continued downwards leaving the comfort of dull routine and ready to face reality.

**.-.-.-.**

Kisame sat at the uncomfortably tiny table in his motel room eating ramen as he tried to come to a conclusion about his situation. He bent his large legs to a more bearable position on either side of the chair, glad that nobody was around to see him like this. He popped a chunk of meat into his mouth and chewed as he thought of that night at the dock. Sakura's reaction to his little story had been expected, but his own mental state afterwards wasn't- he was beginning to regret saying anything at all.

After having a few days to mull over the events, he realized how stupid it was to tell Sakura the truth. What purpose did it serve? She was free to think whatever she wanted about the state of affairs in the ninja world- he wasn't under any obligation to enlighten her nor anyone else for that matter. Kisame stabbed his chopsticks into the empty take-out container and swept it to the side in irritation. He was a man who valued truth above else, yes, but he was not in the habit of relaying long-winded revelations on certain concealed affairs to people he barely knew. He barely even entertained small-talk with his ex-comrades from Akatsuki. What happened to the reclusive, business-minding Kisame of old?

Perhaps that was the issue- he was getting too _old_.

Especially after realizing how- despite their bickering- he actually enjoyed Sakura's company. Kind of. Truthfully, he just liked the challenge. She was unpredictable and didn't back down from a fight- physical or verbal. She didn't recoil from his strange features and when he grinned, teeth bared in a menacing reminder of what he was, Sakura matched the gesture with one of her own- albeit with much blunter teeth. He smirked at the memories of their battle on the lake a few nights back. Her outfit had gotten quite wet as a consequence of their setting, and he even considered re-enacting their previous spar by letting her win, as long as he got the rewarding experience that came afterwards. Alas, it was miraculous that the thought never went beyond consideration- his pride had taken enough of a beating as it was.

Kisame stopped thinking about that particular experience as he remembered how much he really was allowing the kunoichi to get to him. The fact remained that now she was devastated and it was questionable whether she would want to see him ever again. Not that that was a problem or anything, Kisame thought inwardly, it was just that he had initially extended his stay in Amegakure because of the girl. Now he was free, though, and ultimately, it would be best for them both if he just left without notice. Sakura had her plans worked out, and he had given her information which would prove valuable in her quest should she choose to go through with it still.

_'Of course she will,'_ he said to himself.

If anything, he had just put the nail into the coffin by telling her everything. In the end, stubborn and foolhardy as usual, Sakura would go confront Madara and Sasuke and get herself killed. That was it.

_'If she could even track them down, that is.'_

Either way it didn't matter, because his hands were clean now- no duties, no responsibilities, no lingering _anything_. No more pink-haired medics to interrupt his vacations, no more squabbling, no more tears. Kisame rose from his seat, suddenly feeling restless and got dressed in need of some fresh air.

As he grabbed Samehada though, he sensed something strangely familiar from beyond his room. Outside. Standing still. Kisame squared his jaw and in a flash, thrust open the door. A loud thud resonated through the heavy frame of wood and metal as it vibrated with the force of a body connecting. A few feet away, a form lay sprawled back on the floor, desperately trying to initiate a sequence of hand signals for a transportation jutsu. Kisame was two steps ahead and with his own quick motions, the figure was immediately incapacitated and Samehada began working away at absorbing chakra.

"Ah, _Taiki_. I'm so glad you decided to come over."

The man in question widened his eyes in surprise at both the recognition of his name and the fact that his arms were completely immobilized by some sort of water-binding jutsu. Not to mention the sword in his face. Kisame grinned at the reaction, and glancing quickly to the sides, he grabbed the younger man by the collar of his vest and shoved him into his room, closing the door behind them.

"H-hey! What're you-"

"Shut up and stay still."

Kisame effortlessly bound Taiki to a chair with chakra-enhanced binds and then backed away, observing him smugly as his Adam's apple bobbed in nervousness. He really _was_ getting too involved with Konoha nin, Kisame thought as he stood looming above the man in the most intimidating fashion possible.

"Now. Explain yourself or I begin removing body parts."

Taiki's eyes widened even further at the shark-man's bluntness and also at the fact that the legendary Samehada was still pointed at his face making him feel more drained by the second.

"No bullshit- straight to the point. I'm not the type for idle threats," Kisame barked out as he watched the nervousness spike in the young man in front of him. He was clearly thinking his answers out thoroughly.

"I'm only protecting my village," Taiki ground out, feeling nauseous.

"Heh. I have no interest in your precious little village," Kisame said, tapping the man's forehead protector with the tip of his bandaged sword.

Taiki's eyes shifted uncomfortably to the sides and Kisame slowly lowered Samehada.

"Or is there something else..."

Pupils dilating. Heart rate increasing. Sweat. Adrenalin.

"Sakura, okay? I was ordered to protect her."

Ah. Of course.

"Then why are you here?" Kisame said, knowing the answer but wanting to hear it from Taiki nonetheless.

"Sh- she's in contact with you!" he blurted out, hoping somehow that he was wrong.

The tall Kisame just laughed darkly. Really, he should have guessed- ANBU ninja usually come along on missions for a specific reason: spying.

"I think that is none of your concern," he said, dismissing any further talk of Sakura, "If I were you, I would be more worried about the possibility that your actions could cause a great strain in relations between Ame and Konoha. And you know how devastating that would be, now, don't you?" he said patronizing the attentive Taiki.

"What are you talking about?" he responded, defiantly.

"Having been in intel myself, back in the day, I happen to know what sort of 'diplomacy' your kind practices. You've likely been gathering fundamental information on this city for Konoha's purposes. Does that sound about right, or will I have to do a little digging in those clothes of yours?"

Taiki remained composed, but Kisame was attuned to reading eyes- and the boy's clearly bluffed.

"Hmph. Pitiful," he said with emphasized disappointment, "I guess I really _will_ have to break the news to the leader. My, how betrayed she will feel- after all the trust is gone from the two allied villages-"

"Okay, okay! I get it!" Taiki yelled out finally.

"Good boy."

Taiki slumped a bit in his chair, but Kisame decided he wasn't finished yet. Inching closer like a cat stalking its prey, he continued.

"On second thought, I don't know if I trust you'll keep quiet..." he drove the point home by eyeing the white-haired ANBU man like a piece of grade-A beef, "maybe I'll chop off a couple of those fingers just to make sure."

"No! No- please, sir. I promise- I _promise_, I won't tell a soul! I swear on my dead mother's grave!"

Kisame looked down at the man pitifully, his previous triumphant smirk fading. And so the legendary "Will of Fire" was doused. This one was clearly not trained very well if he broke down that quickly- it usually took much longer with Konoha nin. But the pleading was genuine and Kisame detected no change in scent or chakra level indicating a lie or a trap. Too bad, he really was hoping for a little resistance- it had been a while since he played "big, bad interrogator" and got to cut off various ligaments. Oh well.

"Alright, I _suppose_ I'll let you keep your body parts- I'm not in the mood to clean my sword tonight anyway. But, we're burning your clothing. All of it."

"What?"

"I don't repeat myself. Whatever information you gathered is going to be destroyed- I know how crafty you spy-types are at hiding things," he said, face dangerously close to Taiki's.

With that Kisame went and retrieved a lighter and metal trash can from the kitchen. Taiki looked on in horror as the bonds on his arms and legs loosened and a very serious shark-man now sat flicking the lighter on and off dauntingly.

"Now strip, little squirrel."

**.-.-.-.**

Sakura was out wandering the streets of the busy city, casually glancing at the wares behind shops and trying to bring her spirits up. Unfortunately no amount of retail therapy was helping, which was a pity considering how packed full of boutiques and trendy shops Amegakure was. Walking on, she took a moment and looked down at herself, suddenly even more depressed at the stagnant state of affairs concerning her wardrobe. She was always in the same outfit, with barely noticeable variations depending on how adventurous she felt. _'Mauve elbow pads or light pink elbow pads?'_ Just like her life became routine, so did her clothing. Sakura immediately regretted the petty thoughts, considering the enormity of the situation ahead, and consequently felt even more gloomy. With a drawn out sigh, the girl continued on her path towards nowhere, until eventually she found a bookstore, deciding to enter it on a whim. The woman at the counter greeted her and Sakura took her time browsing the covers in hopes of finding something that would perk her up.

After leaving the archives a few hours ago, she had went back to her motel room and showered, unable to find her partner as usual. Sakura had somewhat hoped that this time Taiki would be around so they could finally go out somewhere, but he wasn't in his motel room as usual. He had abandoned even asking her if she wanted to come along, but it was only expected since she usually blew him off anyway. And so she ended up just wandering around the industrial city hoping to occupy herself so that she wouldn't have to sit alone in her room sulking. Sakura resumed her leisurely browsing of the shelves in the cramped bookstore.

_'Self-help and __You: How to Overcome Inner Angst,'_ she read, her eye catching one of the covers. A metallic gold circle was stamped onto the front, indicating that some authority on inner angst had deemed that the book was legitimate in its claims. Sakura rolled her eyes- she wasn't about to buy a cheesy book on how to deal, no matter how effective it claimed to be. She continued on, noticing a trend- apparently Amegakure had a secret problem with inner strife since most of the books in the top sellers section were about dealing with psychological problems.

_'Of course, __it's a ninja village after all,'_ she inwardly thought with a humorless snort.

Quickly, she moved away from that section and let her eyes linger in the nature category. _'Safe.' _She smiled as she flipped through a book on cats, and then horses, enjoying the cute and carefree animals photographed therein. Then before her finger pulled one out on birds, she stopped, noticing _'Sharks: Beautiful Beasts'_ imprinted in a red, blood-dripping font on one of the book spines nearby. Before she could stop herself, her finger languidly traced its way to that one, and pulled it out. She let the weight settle in her hands as she observed the photograph on the front. A menacing great white was pictured on the cover, rows of teeth glimmering as its hulking body shot out of the water in true epic fashion. Sakura traced her fingers over the image, trying to see or feel something that wasn't there. The shark's terrifying maw was tinted in bright red, further emphasizing its nature, aiming to instill a sense of fear and awe in the viewer. Its beady, black eyes were soulless, conveying nothing but primal, carnivorous instinct. After contemplatively pausing, Sakura didn't bother opening the book to see what it contained- after all, she wasn't looking for sharks.

She smiled faintly, re-shelving the book and preparing to leave. Resolved in her decision, she hoped the man she was looking for now would be where she was headed.

**.-.-.-.**

"_Um_?"

"What?" the man responded in annoyance as a pink head of hair curiously darted around his person, trying to look into his smoke-filled apartment room. He tried to close the door a bit more to stop her actions, but it wasn't working.

"What were you doing in there? It smells horrible," Sakura said, pinching her nose with her fingers and using her other hand to swat at the smoke which trailed out of the door's opening.

"Cooking."

She slapped a hand to her mouth as a laugh threatened to erupt from her throat. Seeing Kisame's irritated face though, made it impossible to stop the action and Sakura let go of her inhibitions and laughed loudly. He just stood looking aloof, waiting for her to finish.

"Oh man, that's just _too_ funny," she said between breaths, "if that's the result of your cooking then you positively _suck_," Sakura jabbed, mirthfully sighing. She completely forgot why she even came to his apartment, now fully amused by the mental image of a disgruntled and burnt Kisame clothed in an apron and oven mitts, after having failed at baking a pie.

Kisame let her go about insulting his culinary skills, considering he really didn't want to tell her what the real cause was. He was once again surprised that the girl had come by, and he didn't want to scare her off by telling her he had just incinerated all of her partner's clothes and sent him running home naked- after kicking his ass. No, that was definitely not a good idea. Not now.

He cleared his throat, and closed the door behind him as he stepped out into the refreshing night. He took a moment to inhale deeply and clear the acrid smoke-smell from his sensitive nose and upon doing so, took in Sakura's pleasant one as well. In the ensuing silence, she suddenly felt awkward again as she remembered their last meeting together. On the way to Kisame's place, Sakura decided if anything, she should be grateful to the man- after all, it was unfair to take any of her inner turmoil out on him for what he told her. He wasn't responsible for any of it personally- he was only the devil's messenger. Aside from that though, she came to another conclusion.

"Kisame, I had some time to think about what you said," she spoke, her smile from earlier still lingering on her lips despite the tugs of pain coming from her chest, "and I decided to go after Sasuke for sure, but..."

"You need help."

Sakura bit her lip. "No, well... if you could just give me any leads, or tips on how to-"

Kisame sighed. Somehow he knew this would happen, and initially he would've agreed to coming with her to find Madara, but the fact that Konoha and whoever else might have their eyes on either him or the girl was becoming a problem. He didn't want to deal with any more _Taikis_ unless he could get away with killing them. But in the end, he refrained from murdering the man- it would just cause problems for them both. Blackmail- although less rewarding- was sometimes the wiser choice.

"I'm sorry. This was a bad idea," Sakura laughed a bit sadly, interrupting Kisame's thoughts.

"I'm going to go. This is my burden to shoulder, I don't know why I came here..." she continued, shaking her head at herself. _'Stupid, stupid Sakura! Whatever happened to not depending on others?'_

Kisame watched the girl's various emotions play out over her expressive face. She held nothing back- fear, regret, nervousness, doubt, anger, hesitation. She was backing away, ready to leave- and this time it would be forever.

"Keh, you'll die if you go alone, kunoichi."

Sakura stilled her movements and firm resolve flooded her eyes.

"Then I die. At least it will be an honest death."

Kisame was taken aback at how much like him she sounded. Once upon a time when he was a young man in a village hidden in the Mist, desperate for anyone to be true to their word- their cause. He didn't allow his nostalgic retrospection go any further, so he spoke up again.

"Don't be an idiot. Do you forget I have my own score to settle with Madara?"

The man felt like he was convincing himself more than her. Either way, Sakura shut up and looked up at Kisame. She was torn. On one hand, she really did hope he would offer to come, but on the other, she questioned her sanity. He was still a criminal. Despite what she learned of Konoha's dirty past, was it really a good idea to betray her village once again by running off with Kisame? Sure, if they were successful in killing Madara and bringing back Sasuke, the benefits to the entire ninja world would be great, but it was _still_ treason. She would still have to answer and be held accountable for her actions afterwards.

_'Then I will,'_ she thought determinedly.

Now it was about recovering what was good in the world and eliminating the lies and deceit propagated by the likes of Madara. Yes, this was the lesser of two evils. She was done with thinking of the man in front of her as others had told her he was. People, books, files, documents- it was all so detached from what she personally knew. Bingo books said he was a mutated anomaly- she just saw a man. Comrades had said he was merciless and cruel- she experienced no such thing. It was time to use her own judgement, and at the moment, all Sakura could see beneath the grey-blue of his skin was a valuable ally.

"Fine then it's settled," Sakura said, inwardly relieved she wasn't going to have to do this alone.

Kisame felt a foreboding at the words, but decided to brush it off in lieu of the slight something _else_ he felt in his chest. Unfortunately, the pleasant feeling lasted only briefly and then he was left trying to figure out if he should explain the Taiki situation to her. And what to do now that they were standing in awkward silence again.

Well, the Taiki thing was likely not even going to need to be explained since he had made damn sure the kid would never open his mouth about it again, but the idle standing was going to have to be dealt with.

"Kisame, I just want to say thanks," came Sakura's voice before he had a chance to say anything.

He shrugged, looking down at her. She was still sad, but significantly less so than when he left her at the pier a couple nights back.

"Nothing of it. I was going to go after Madara anyway," he said in response.

"No- not that. Just everything. You're probably the only person that has been honest with me for a while," she said in a moment of candid admission.

Suddenly Kisame was left slightly off-guard and unsure of what to say. Was that a compliment? Was she talking about the night at the dock? He thought she would lash out at him for saying what he had- for shattering her illusions. He wanted to retort with something witty to save himself from the strangeness of her comment and the resulting effect it had on him, but he came up empty.

"Anyway, I guess I'll go," she said a moment later, much less melancholy than before. Kisame was glad she interrupted him from his thoughts and whatever it was he felt.

"How much longer are you here for?" he asked, further distracting himself.

"Oh, we leave the day after tomorrow."

"Let's discuss the rest tomorrow then."

"Okay," she said quickly, realizing they had a lot to plan- like firstly, how she would get a pass out of Konoha for however long they'd need. Her head began to hurt.

After deciding to meet up at the loading dock again, the two parted ways.

**.-.-.-.**

One pale-haired ninja sat backed against a wall in the tiny shower stall in his temporary lodgings. No water left the showerhead as he just sat immobile, holding a hand up to his forehead trying to get a grasp on what happened earlier with the Mist monster Kisame.

He had been discovered during his stake-out. No, _worse-_ he had been injured, humiliated and completely divested of his clothes and his gathered intel on Amegakure's inner workings. All in the span of an extremely short time. He rubbed the shallow grooves on his arms where the chakra binds had cut into his skin.

"_Shit_," Taiki groaned in self-pity at the whole situation.

Now what? He was going to have to come back to Konoha empty-handed with absolutely nothing to offer in terms of collateral. If he spoke of anything- like when he observed Sakura and Kisame have an exchange at the pier- his balls would be handed to him by either the girl or the shark himself. Not to mention, what Kisame spoke of was all too true- if the man told Konan about any of Taiki's spying, war could break out. And in the end it would all be because of him. He winced, leaning his head back against the tiles on the wall as he realized how screwed he was. So much for trying to prove himself in the eyes of his superiors.

"Oh well, at least we're leaving soon," he said, the words echoing in the emptiness of the small room. He wouldn't see Kisame ever again and Sakura likely wouldn't either. The fact that they had happened upon the Mist rogue in the first place was purely coincidental anyway and he was going to allow himself to believe that he and Sakura did not in any way meet up on purpose. To conspire about Konoha. Or anything.

_'Exactly.'_

He had nothing staining his conscience. It was all innocent and that's where he would leave it, Taiki resolutely decided. Besides, he had only come upon Kisame and Sakura briefly, and noticed the deep anguish of his usually lively partner's demeanor after a talk they had which, unfortunately, he couldn't hear from his vantage point. From what he did see though, the exchange didn't look very friendly, and he had no real reason to suspect any conspiracy.

But then why would Kisame force him into silence about the whole thing? Taiki couldn't figure it out, and decided to drop the subject for now just in case- maybe he was over-thinking things.

In the end, both he and Sakura would return to Konoha without any real valuable information on neither her lost memory nor Uchiha Madara- and _especially_ nothing on Amegakure. Oh well. Not every mission was a success, and at least Sakura had worked her ass off in the archives while he flounced around gathering secret intelligence each day. They had _that_ at least. Except, all of _his_ hard work was burned along with his ANBU uniform. Great. How would he explain that one?

"Shoulda just went with being a chef," Taiki mourned wistfully, regretting his choice in profession for the hundredth time that night.

**.-.-.-.**

Sakura had her arms crossed with a highly skeptical expression on her face.

"You mean to tell me it all just _disappeared_?"

"Yeah. Poof. Gone. What can I do? Just drop it already, okay?"

"Taiki, next time, if you don't know how to work a coin-operated laundry machine, _ask_ someone."

Her partner stood at her motel room door that morning clad in only a towel asking for spare clothes like some sort of beggar. After a bout of laughter, Sakura had let him in and tried to remain sympathetic as he explained himself. Despite his little story, she had her own suspicions about what happened- perhaps he had lost his uniform during a game of strip poker or skinny dipping with that Shogo guy he always hung around with. Either way, Sakura mentally added another thing to place in the hypothetical ANBU suggestion box once she returned home.

_'To who__mever is in charge,_

_Please teach ninja basic laundry skills lest their clothes end up mysteriously disappearing in the washing machine. _

_Sincerely, _

_An anonymous concerned party.'_

Sakura shook her head and let the subject go. Taiki looked pretty embarrassed about it and he was being uncharacteristically quiet, so she decided to cut him some slack and not laugh her ass off any more.

As Sakura fished around in her bag for some neutral-looking clothes, she realized how much better she felt that day- about everything. Less and less was she plagued by any guilt concerning her involvement with Kisame- and it wasn't just because of how betrayed she felt by Konoha.

A baggy yellow sleeping shirt and loose shorts were all Sakura could manage for "manly" and Taiki grudgingly took the garments and changed into them. She had to forcefully cement a serious expression on her face as he walked out of her bathroom, the shorts unpredictably tight. And short.

"Haha! Oh geez, Taiki, I'm sorry, but I think we'll have to go shopping," she burst out and walked up to the miffed man trying to stretch out the shorts to fit him a bit better.

"Whatever," he pouted, thoroughly humiliated. It was going to be a long day.

**.-.-.-.**

Once again, the night was rain-less as Kisame sat at the dock waiting for the pleasant shift in the usual dank smell which encompassed the city. It was the last night he would see Sakura before she left for Konoha and then somehow they'd reconvene for what was likely going to be a suicide-mission. His mind so effectively ruined his mood for the umpteenth time that night by reminding him of the caliber of the enemy he was preparing to go up against. And that wasn't even the main cause for concern- in truth, he had considered killing Madara before and quite enjoyed the prospect of a challenge. No, he was sulking because he was going to have to do this with the added burden of feisty, reckless kunoichi hanging off his side. And it was all his fault because he offered to come.

If he had a bottle of liquor, he would've taken a swig.

It was like everything he had learned on patience, planning, and most importantly _not acting on a whim_ was lost whenever he was around the girl. And now, he would be around her even more. Sakura's scent permeated from a nearby distance as Kisame's olfactory senses distracted him from his woeful thoughts. With every step, his and the kunoichi's fates further entangled themselves and the man allowed himself to fall back into it as if letting water take him to drift off somewhere unbeknownst to him. It was out of his hands now. He did not regret.

"Hey again."

Kisame nodded in response to her greeting, preferring to enjoy the quietude of his thoughts for a moment longer.

"So what's the icebreaker for tonight? Another fight or..?" Sakura teased, plopping down near where he sat, looking strangely upbeat.

"Not in the mood."

"Aw, you? Not in the mood for a fight? What's wrong- too scared of me?" she said, bracing herself on her palms as her feet merrily swayed in the air, dangling off the edge of the dock again.

He turned towards her looking perfectly detached.

"I'd probably end up killing you if we fought now."

_'__Which would be a great idea, but alas, my intelligence is failing me as of late,'_ he wanted to add, but ultimately kept it to himself.

She quirked a skeptical brow and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Were allies now. No killing allowed," she said very matter-of-factly.

"Allies? I wasn't aware of this," he responded, allowing some humor to manifest itself in his voice. She was a strange one.

"Yes well I decided we are, so it's in effect now," Sakura added with no shortage of pomp.

Kisame was about to question her quick turnaround from the other night, but decided not to- it would only serve to spoil her mood, and he was _not_ about to deal with emotional kunoichi again. Instead he neither supported nor opposed her little "decision" and just responded with a grunt. That usually got the point across- whatever it was. Sakura just waved him off, starting off on a different tangent.

"You know, I had the weirdest day," the girl began, as Kisame eye-rolled, hoping it wouldn't be too descriptive about girly routines or something.

He _really_ needed a drink.

Silently, Kisame wondered if any ninja had an "alcohol-element" affinity. Genuinely amused by the thought, he continued his contemplations, realizing how gloriously convenient such a chakra element would be to have. Sakura continued, unaware of the inward musings of the man next to her.

"So apparently, my inept partner decided he was going to become a nudist," Sakura said causing Kisame to stiffen slightly, yanked out of his pleasant thoughts by the mention of her partner. Hoping nothing involving himself would come up, he listened while she recalled a very contrived tale and at the end wondered who in their right mind would ever buy the bullshit story concocted by Taiki. Nonetheless, he commended the man on his creativity.

"It's true. Amegakure has some vicious washing machines. Happened to me once," he said, half-amused.

"You're a terrible liar."

"Really?"

She smiled at him and his mock-surprised tone. But now that they were on the subject of lies...

"So what are we going to do?" she asked, finally addressing the elephant in the room.

Kisame took a moment, and Sakura imagined him running his hand through his dark blue hair as he usually did when he was uncomfortable or deep in thought. He didn't disappoint, as immediately after the thought, she watched as his fingers tangled in the spiked hairs, travelling all the way across the sides and down, stopping where his hitae-ate was. Sakura was lost in the moment, and looked away after realizing just how foolishly mesmerized she was by such a mundane act. Her own fingers involuntarily twitched, subconsciously longing to feel what his felt. Taken aback by her thoughts, Sakura shoved her hands under her legs, and listened as Kisame spoke.

"Well, I know what _I'm_ going to do, kunoichi. I gotta find out where Madara is hiding out."

Sakura felt like her bubble of warmth and happiness had just been blown apart by a rocket launcher. She hadn't even thought of that. Obviously a guy like Madara wasn't the sedentary type- they had to _locate_ his elusive ass first!

"Oh _crap_," she said, grimacing. No wonder Kisame was in such a weird mood- he probably spent all day thinking about the logistics of their proposed mission, whereas she stupidly spent hers shopping and doing other frivolous things.

"And then I have to figure out if he really was the one who captured us- and why. Getting him to talk isn't hard though- it's the killing part we gotta worry about."

"You mean you have doubts it was even Madara who did this?"

"No shit, kunoichi. I'm not telepathic."

"Geez, that really sucks."

"Understatement."

"Whatever- so how strong is he anyway?"

"Considering he was one of the _founding_ fathers of your little village?"

"Point taken," Sakura said, promptly clamming up. She felt so out of the loop still, and even though she knew these things now, it was difficult to remember that it wasn't just a fairy tale- it actually happened. Madara was a mastermind shinobi; he had managed to extend his lifespan, unleash the kyuubi, and on top of that, he was an Uchiha. Suddenly an idea popped up in her mind.

"Hold on, you said Itachi hated Madara, right?"

"Yeah," he said blankly, remembering Itachi's death wish again.

"Well, did he give you any tips? On how to beat him?"

Kisame sighed. _'If only.'_

"I don't think you realize- Itachi was never the talkative type. I only learned the truth about the Uchihas and Akatsuki when Itachi realized his time was running out. He was too debilitated to tell me much, but lucky for us, a sharingan is a sharingan- and both of them have the Mangekyo. Having sparred with Itachi numerous times, I got pretty good at countering it."

"I've fought Sasuke before, but not since he got the upgraded version," Sakura added, somewhat saddened. _'Not since he left...'_

"Have you ever won?"

Sakura winced, suddenly regretting even saying anything. Truthfully, she had been beaten almost immediately every time her and Sasuke sparred. It was embarrassing how quickly and often she had fallen under the sharingan's genjutsu, but then again, that was years ago. After having trained with Tsunade and honing her chakra control in the hospital, she had become a pretty valuable fighter. She sighed, wondering if it was even enough.

Kisame took Sakura's lack of response as a no, wishing to take another imaginative swig from his imaginative sake bottle. They were in sore condition to go up against one- possibly _two_- Uchihas, if Sasuke decided to resist. Suigetsu and the rest of the little following were shrimp though, and didn't even counter in with Kisame's calculations.

"You'll need training," the Mist nin said, after thinking it through.

"How do you suppose I train if I have no sharingan user to practice on?"

"I'm all you need," Kisame said coyly.

"Ugh."

"You have a better idea, genius?"

"I guess I'm stuck with you."

"How fortunate for you. I'm not so lucky, though."

"Kiss my ass."

Kisame grinned about to make her regret giving him such a perfect comeback opportunity but quickly realizing her mistake, Sakura cut him off.

"Figure of _speech_, shark. Don't get your hopes up."

Kisame couldn't resist chuckling. Great, her spunkiness was making him feel better by the minute. Oh how unfair and nonsensical the universe was.

"Keh. We'll see about that, kunoichi."

"Unlikely, but _anyways_- how long do you think it'll take you to track down Madara's whereabouts?"

Kisame straightened his back as he sat, cracking his joints in the process as he gave Sakura's question some thought.

"Not sure. But I have some possible leads to start from. Meet me at Otafuku Gai three weeks after you return home. And allow for adequate time off- this won't be a quick trip."

"Okay," Sakura responded, trying to figure out how all of this would work out.

Kisame rose from his seat indicating the conversation was over and Sakura followed the motion, slightly disappointed that the night would end like this. _'What else would it end like?' _she reminded herself, wondering why she even thought such a dumb thing.

"Well, I guess I'll see you a few weeks from now, kunoichi."

"I guess so, shark-face."

They stood in silence, nodding at each other, waiting for the other to make a move to leave. As a last second attempt to make the situation any less awkward, Sakura thrust out her arm stiffly, offering her hand to the man.

"Allies?"

Allies. Kisame couldn't remember the last person to address him in such a way. He looked down at her extended arm, following the toned muscles down towards Sakura's dainty wrist and the inviting hand. _'Why not,'_ Kisame thought, and then withdrew his own arm from his side after a moment, returning the gesture. Sakura's heart made its existence known by choosing to beat impossibly loud as the man's large, rough hand connected with her own small one. Palms. Skin. Fingers. Joints. _Warmth_. Her eyes darted down to their joined hands and she felt his thumb lightly graze over her knuckle- the primal gesture of truce turned something else. That particular knuckle and thin expanse of skin covering it felt like the only part of her which existed at the moment, and the myriad of sensation as a result threatened to cause her knees to give.

"Allies," he confirmed finally, bringing the girl back to reality. For the first time since seeing Kisame again, Sakura felt as his deep voice vibrated through her ears and deep down into her gut, stirring something latent there. The intrinsic pull to hug him was so great that she was shocked into letting go of their little handshake prematurely. The absence of heat was disappointing to say the least.

"Aha! Well... good luck with the whole search then," Sakura said forcing herself into some semblance of composure. _'Way to overreact because of a friggin' handshake! Wow, did_ that_ ever backfire...'_

"Three weeks, or I go alone," Kisame then said with his usual smirk, leaping up and over her as she listened to the metal stairs behind her creaking and rattling from the act. Sakura didn't turn until the metallic reverberations ceased filling her brain with a comforting fuzziness. Blinking, she let the previous moment sink in, and once more felt disappointed at Kisame's sudden departure.

How anti-climactic.

Then she smiled- all the more reason to anticipate their next meeting, she thought. Sakura allowed her mind to come up with different ways in which to chastise Kisame on his lack of etiquette concerning basic greetings and farewells, and leisurely walked back to her apartment, enjoying the clear night and subsequent clear conscience. Within minutes, Sakura felt the dread dissipate at the mission awaiting them.

And for a moment, she allowed herself to believe that perhaps in the end it would all go perfectly, and that as a result, their dark world would look just a little less bleak.


	21. Chapter 21

Sakura lazily twirled a spoon around in a cup of coffee, detached from the conversation her friend was having with her. The voices around them were muffled as if they were all underwater, and only the pleasant little clinks of the spoon hitting porcelain were crisp enough to keep the girl somewhat rooted in the real world.

"...and then, he said I was too forward or something. Or did he say pushy... Whatever! Point is- Sakura? Are you even listening?"

"Mm? Oh, yeah Ino, I'm listening."

The blonde quirked a brow as her friend feigned attentiveness by looking very interested all of a sudden.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing. Just didn't get enough sleep, that's all," Sakura said with a reassuring smile, hoping to avoid any further questioning. She didn't mean to zone out like that, but her thoughts were prone to wandering even more since her return to Konoha weeks ago.

"Man, they sure are taking advantage of you now that you're back at the hospital," Ino continued as Sakura forced a yawn in emphasis.

"Heh, well it's nothing I'm not used to."

That part was actually true. Sakura found her work to be somehow easier since getting her position back at the hospital even though the workload remained the same. All the healing and chart-reading was almost therapeutic as she fell back into yet another routine. It propelled her through the weeks, and suddenly she realized just how quickly the time passed since her return from Rain Country.

"Nervous about tomorrow?" Ino asked as if on the same wavelength as her friend.

"No, not really."

"Well you're lucky, Sakura. This job is already getting to me- I'm kinda hoping for some action myself."

Sakura snorted at the double-entendre while Ino just shot her a look and continued.

"You know what I mean. Shikamaru is in Suna probably having a good time with his little wind babe, and even Choji is out on missions regularly. I'm just stuck in a stupid office all day- it sucks."

The pink-haired girl looked at her friend sympathetically. Sakura felt a bit guilty- she had barely even been in Konoha for the past year- always out on missions and getting kidnapped and planning for secret meetings with dangerous men. Not even her mind would give her a moment's rest, always speculating, analyzing and turning things over- the past, the present, the future. The mission. The one she'd set out on tomorrow morning.

Sakura's time back in Konoha was once again short-lived, but that was the plan. She had kept her eyes and ears open for any missions which fit the timeframe she needed, and after peeking through the rosters one day, she found one in particular which nobody had yet been assigned to. Soon after, she went to Tsunade to inquire about it.

-.-.-

_"I understand, Sakura. You need time alone to assess everything that has __happened to you recently."_

_Sakura shifted where she stood, trying not to look as guilty as she felt. Tsunade sat at her desk as usual, angled so that she was looking out the large window which spanned across her office. _

_"I talked to the elders this afternoon, and they gave the go-ahead. Looks like your work in Amegakure paid off. You're back in the clear."_

_The pink haired girl wasn't able to smile genuinely- especially after having heard so much about said elders- but forced herself to anyway. It was a bit strange that they would so easily allow her to leave, but it seemed like there was focus on something else since ninja were being sent out on missions in greater numbers than ever before. Luckily for Sakura, it gave her a perfect opportunity to leave. Tsunade broke the girl out of her mental thoughts._

_"Consider this the closest to a vacation I can give you, Sakura. The mission itself is easy enough- just a standard stake out. I don't need to tell you how to get the information we need, but I doubt you'll have to go to great lengths. According to the commissioners, it's just your run-of-the-mill underground crime gang, but they are causing quite a bit of trouble in the village so stay on guard nonetheless."_

_"I will, Tsunade-shishou," she lied._

_"I know you will. In actuality, you're probably going to finish the objective in a couple of days, so use the rest of the time for yourself. Drink, gamble, shop, train- I don't care. Just make sure you come back with a clear mind," Tsunade said taking a swig of her tea._

_Sakura just stood still, suddenly needing air. The shame of the entire situation overwhelmed her, but she couldn't let her mentor know that she wasn't even headed to whatever country this mission was supposed to be in, let alone pursuing another objective. More than anything, the girl wished she could just break down and tell Tsunade about everything- Sasuke, Madara, Kisame, all of it. _

'Not yet. She'll know eventually. Keep it together just a bit longer,'_ Sakura inwardly encouraged herself. She couldn't blow it when she was this close._

___-.-.-_  


Sakura still felt shame that she was lying to Tsunade like this, but in the end, it was something she had to do. Once she returned to Konoha with Sasuke in tow and a dead Madara as a trophy pelt, all would be well. Only then would her mind truly be clear- in more ways than one. And so the remnants of shame and guilt were gone at the thought and all that remained was determination.

"Don't worry Ino- I'm sure you'll get your break too," Sakura finally said to her friend, feeling truly optimistic.

"Eh, whatever," the girl responded waving her off, "just make sure to bring me a souvenir."

"Blonde, brunette or redhead?"

"_Ha_! You know me well, Sakura, but I wouldn't mind one of each."

The two girls laughed and Sakura was glad that despite having a different outlook on life, some things- like Ino- remained constant. She would miss her.

After finishing up at the cafe, Sakura headed towards her apartment to finish packing for the long trip ahead of her. She slowed her steps as she realized the training grounds Team Seven used were a short distance away, and on a whim, she decided to go visit the area again. As she walked, the grass became sparse and patchy- testament of all the days spent duelling and practicing- not only by team seven. A wave of nostalgia washed over her upon seeing the worn but ever-steady training posts littering the grounds, almost symbolic in nature. The girl sat down on the grass, allowing the setting autumn sun to warm her and further enhance her memories of growing up with Naruto, Kakashi, and of course, Sasuke.

The tug on her heart at the thought of her old love never failed to manifest itself. Did she love him still? It was a question Sakura once had no problem answering- once upon a time when things were perfect. Now, she had a hard time deciding how exactly she felt about Sasuke. Could she still love him? Probably. But would _he_? After all the time that had passed? After he left her unconscious that fateful night? After training under one enemy and then allying with another? Sakura waited for her ever-expressive heart to show her how she truly felt, but it didn't do anything in particular. Only a sad haze surrounded her thoughts at the mention of Sasuke.

"Oh well, I guess I'll know soon enough," she said with a tone betraying her hopefulness.

"Know what?"

Sakura froze in shock at the interruption and then surprise at the recognizable quality of the voice. She turned sharply and sprang up from her seat. A mess of orange, blonde, and black came up behind her with a wide grin on his face.

"Naruto!"

Bright smiles lit up instantly as the two looked upon each other, and Sakura was the first to wrap her arms tightly around the young man. It had been so long.

"Sakura, I missed you!"

The girl broke off the warm embrace and stood back a bit, observing her friend and how much he had grown. Naruto's usual carefree cheer was still there, but with something else lacing it. _'Strength,'_ she thought inwardly, and not only the physical kind.

He scratched his head in the usual sheepish way he was prone to doing, and Sakura found herself remembering someone else who did something similar...

"So what're you doing out here all alone anyway?" Naruto said, making a move to sit down, and Sakura joined him.

"Getting a dose of nostalgia," she replied.

Naruto inhaled deeply as if hoping to sense something that had long ago drifted away.

"Yeah I do it too, sometimes. Man, those were the days."

_'When we had Sasuke,'_ they both filled in for themselves.

"So, I hear you're leaving again," Naruto said after a short moment. He really didn't want this to become depressing.

"Yeah, tomorrow."

"Heh, must be exciting to go on a real mission."

"Meh, not really. Just standard stake-out stuff," she said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"Aw, too bad. Here I thought you'd get in on some real action."

"_Hah_, yeah, too bad," Sakura said in mock self-pity. _'If only he knew.'_

"What about you? I didn't know you came back."

"Oh, yeah, about an hour ago. I wanted to see you before you left; you know, just like we used to before going on missions. Besides, I didn't get a chance to last time- before you left for Amegakure."

"No use dwelling on the past, you're here now," she said with a smile, suddenly realizing who she had just quoted.

"Heh, and I was scared you'd punch me or something for being so inconsiderate. You letting go of the whole temper thing already?"

Sakura laughed. Was she really that bad?

"Well, people change," she said with a nervous laugh, plucking out a clump of grass beside her.

"Oh, speaking of which, how's Konan?" Naruto asked.

"She's doing a good job as Rain's leader. I can't believe she ever used to be part of Akatsuki to be honest. Oh, and she speaks highly of you, Naruto- you have such a huge influence on people now, I'm kinda jealous," Sakura said, half-jokingly.

Once again, her friend laughed meekly, clearly flustered by the compliment. Then he just smiled in his usual, contemplative way as he leaned back against the slight incline of the grass and looked up.

"Konan was already a good person at heart, Sakura. Everyone is, deep down."

Sakura's eyebrows knit together in sympathy as she saw his eyelids draw down slightly, and a shadow pass beneath them. Only she could recognize the faint glimmer of something in his eyes as he thought of Sasuke again. Always, _always_ Sasuke; he continually plagued them like some sort of recurring nightmare they couldn't awaken from. She hated seeing Naruto's bright blue eyes tainted with such despair- it just wasn't appropriate for someone like him.

"He'll come back, Naruto," Sakura said, voice unwavering as she patted her friend on the shoulder.

_'Soon. I'll prove it to you,'_ she inwardly promised.

"Ah, I know, Sakura," he said, forcing whatever anguish he felt back. He smiled like Sai used to.

"Hey, let's go back to my apartment. I've got instant ramen and a lot of packing left to do. What do you say?"

"Ramen?" the blonde said, perking up much like an eager dog, "You know I'll come if there's ramen."

Brushing the grass off of their clothes, Naruto and Sakura rose and prepared to head towards her place. And as they walked away, the kunoichi couldn't help but feel like she was leaving a graveyard.

**.-.-.-.**

_"I would come with you, but I have to stay back now that I'm leader."_

_Kisame looked into his cup and swigged back the tea, as he listened to Konan's soft-spoken words mingled with the incessant rainfall.__ He never expected her to come; she had duties now._

_"I know that__," he said, setting down the ceramic cup._

_"However, I can give you some of my best shinobi-"_

_"Thanks, but no thanks, Konan. I'll have my hands full already."_

_The woman glanced curiously at the smirking man. _

_"Kisame, I don't know the capabilities of the Sakura girl, but I do have hope that you can succeed," she said facing him, "Even with the tailed beasts we've collected for him, Madara is still weak."_

_"Yeah, which is why I'm considering this in the first place. I'm not one to jump blindly into battle with someone I can't beat, that's for sure. I've just never fought Madara, nor do I know a whole lot about where he is or what he's planning with the Sasuke kid."_

_Konan looked thoughtful for a moment._

_"I secretly studied him during our time in Akatsuki and I'll give you whatever information I can. As for Sasuke, I'm not sure. Maybe Madara wants his sharingan?"_

_"Hmm, I doubt it. If he wanted another sharingan, he would've taken Itachi's."_

_No, Madara's plans with Sasuke were of a different nature, as far as he knew. __Kisame looked up into the cloudy night sky from his vantage point atop Amegakure's tallest building. Despite how high up they were, the stars were still no more visible than from the ground, and briefly he wondered just how unreachable they were. _

_"I really do apologize for not being able to join you, Kisame- after all, I also want to see Madara destroyed. But after you do kill him, make sure to come by Ame again and tell me about it," the woman said with a smile._

_"Heh, I will."_

_As she looked at the blue-skinned man, she realized something was slightly different about him. He wasn't doing this out of any obligation towards some third party- it was personal, and perhaps that's why he looked so resolved in his decision. Madara was an extremely powerful man__, but he was incomplete, so Kisame had a chance- after all, he was like a tailed-beast anyway. A sense of nostalgic reverie hit her at the thought of tailed-beasts going up against unfathomable enemies. Gods, even._

_Naruto and Nagato._

_Konan opened her mouth to further encourage Kisame in his quest, but then decided against it. Kisame and Naruto weren't alike, and neither were Madara and Nagato. And judging by the look in his eyes, the shark-man didn't need any further motivation anyway. It was time for her to contribute in a more useful manner. _

Kisame sat at a small dango shop mulling over his last conversation with Konan before he left the rainy city. He never intended to get Konan involved, but he needed to inquire about any intel she had, especially since he had no clue about Madara's abilities aside from the sharingan and his time-space ninjutsu. Now he had every resource he could get his hands on that would help him in locating and killing the man, and all that was left was actually doing those things, and waiting for a pink head of hair to pass by amongst the crowds of Otafuku Gai.

**.-.-.-.**

_'Shit.'_

For the tenth time in a span of three minutes, Sakura cursed her stupid decision to agree to meet Kisame in a town like Otafuku Gai. There was no shortage of catcalls and stale, drunken breath puffing in her face as she walked through the busy streets, attracting every man around as if she was a gigantic walking sausage and they were hungry mutts.

She pulled her shorts down lower and once more, wished she would have worn something less revealing than her usual kunoichi outfit.

_'Like a parka.'_

And on top of that problem, she also couldn't recall Kisame saying anything about _where_ exactly they would meet, as it turned out Otafuku Gai was quite large for what was no more than a brothel town.

And there were _a lot_ of people looking to get laid, apparently. She really hoped Kisame didn't have anything of the sort in mind upon deciding to meet here, and suddenly shocked at the mental image of him letting out pent-up sexual frustration, Sakura quickened her pace.

As she continued on down the street, the sounds of scantily-clad women cooing to potential customers rang louder than the lust-fuelling slow jazz which streamed from the various seedy establishments littering the town. Everywhere she turned, someone was getting picked up, and Sakura found herself sidestepping around more than one used condom or pile of vomit. She shivered in the warm afternoon thinking of how many venereal diseases the place harbored, and made a mental note not to use any toilets or touch anything in general, for that matter.

Aimlessly wandering, Sakura kept her eyes peeled for the sight of blue skin, hoping the man was somewhere outside so she wouldn't have to go looking in any motels. Inwardly groaning at the unsavory prospect, she imagined what would ensue if she had to go knocking on doors.

_'Kisame? Yeah, hi, just me Sakura. Sorry to interrupt your little, ah, session, but could we get on with the whole killing Madara thing now? Thanks. Oh, and __don't forget to leave a tip!'_

"Kunoichi."

Sakura nearly jumped at the voice, thinking it was her all-too vivid mind. Alas, it wasn't, as a very real Kisame manifested from somewhere, interrupting her lewd thoughts. She couldn't help the blush on her face as she recalled the totally naked, sweaty vision of him inside her mind just seconds before, and silently the girl thanked whatever gods were out there that he was wearing his coat.

"Err, hey," was all that she managed, still distracted and trying to avoid eye contact.

"Follow me."

Sakura said nothing further, and just stepped in line with the man as he made a decisive line for some place in particular. She realized she didn't even have a chance to properly greet him or feel any sort of... _anything_... at seeing him again, as it looked like they were getting straight to business. Once again, a blush crept up on her face at the possible innuendo. _'Great,'_ she thought sarcastically; a few minutes there, and already the place was getting to her.

At least the unwanted male attention was diminishing with the presence of Kisame walking next to her. In any other situation, she would have shown the perverts her fury, but this time she decided against it. After all, she wasn't supposed to be in this town in the first place, and being somewhat inconspicuous was in her best interests for the time being.

After a short distance, the two arrived at a nondescript bar, and walked in. Sakura quirked her brow at the buzzing neon sign in the shape of a pinup girl on the outside, but made no mention of it; if anything, she was hoping that was about as raunchy as the place would be. The bell on the door jingled to alert their presence, and Sakura followed Kisame in as she let her eyes adjust to the darkness inside. To her great relief, the interior didn't harbor the decor of a strip-club and she let herself relax slightly as Kisame looked around for a place to sit. Quickly they seated themselves at a booth in a far corner and as usual, silence ensued. Sakura wondered if she should begin with the typical string of opening conversation, but decided against it considering the last time she tried, they ended up exchanging blows. Instead, she went with good old sarcasm.

"Nice choice of meeting places."

"Isn't it?"

"Next time, let me know in advance so I can dress appropriately."

"Not my fault your choice of clothing is so revealing."

"It's not revealing, it's _ergonomic_."

Despite her legitimate argument, Sakura found her hands smoothing over her shorts anyway as if to make herself more modest- especially since Kisame took the opportunity to give her a very unabashed once-over as if he was proving his point. Sakura tapped her foot in irritation, and crossed her arms over her chest, snatching a grimy menu off of the table to distract herself with. Really, the man was making Jiraiya look like a prude with his ogling. Why was it so difficult to interact normally with him? It seemed regular hellos and goodbyes were just out of the question when it came to her and the Mist nin.

Kisame smirked at the girl seated across from him. After three weeks of roving around in the most squalid of establishments, digging up information from various scumbags, Sakura was a sight for sore eyes; he'd admit it to himself at least. And perhaps if their little quest wasn't one of such glum prospects, he would find himself admitting to a bit more. Quickly, he diverted his thoughts to something else.

"So, I assume you have taken enough time off?"

"Two months," Sakura replied quickly, still looking immensely absorbed in what must have been an extremely engaging bar menu.

"Two months? Didn't think you liked me _that_ much," he teased, flashing his teeth.

"Don't flatter yourself, gills. Besides, you were in such a rush to leave back in Rain, that you didn't even tell me how long we'd need!" she snapped, huffing.

How did he always manage to ruffle her feathers like this? And more worrisome was why she openly tolerated it by ever deciding to further involve herself with this man. Clearly, they were complete opposites, and _clearly_ she had mental problems that went beyond some memory-blocking barrier.

_'Speaking of which...'_

"Anyway, did you end up finding anything about...the _thing_?" Sakura asked quietly, glancing up from behind the menu. Luckily, the bar was surprisingly dead so nobody would be around to eavesdrop anyway.

"I did. Prepare to head to Tea Country."

"Really? When?"

"After I have a drink," Kisame replied, simultaneously turning his head towards the bar and the bartender posted there with no intention to cater to his only customers. He frowned and Sakura noticed the dangerous twitching of his fingers on Samehada's hilt.

"Fine, what do you want?" she quickly asked Kisame, upon noticing a look on his face which may or may not have been indicative of murderous intent. She decided to relinquish any feelings of personal pride in hopes that their time in the bar would go by relatively peacefully.

Kisame looked at the girl a bit surprised that she was offering to get him a drink and considered teasing her with something along the lines of "from personal nurse to personal waitress" but decided not to get on her bad side just yet.

"A jug of sake. And something for yourself, I suppose," he said with a shrug as he let go of his sword hilt and prepared to rise up, "I'll be back."

"Wait!"

"What?"

"If I recall correctly, the guy is supposed to buy the girl the drink," Sakura said in irritation, expectantly waiting for Kisame to give her some money. The way she saw it was if she was going to get the booze, he could at least pay for it. He stood and looked down at her.

"I think you mean, the _gentleman_ buys the _lady_ the drink. We are neither, so the rules don't apply. Now, quit your whining and go order," Kisame said, shooing her off and making his way to the washroom.

Sakura just stood there, eyebrow twitching in extreme irritation at both his audacity and at the insult to her lady-ness. And instead of listening to the very loud voice in the back of her head screaming about chivalry, jerks and something about punching someone in the manhood, Sakura neatly composed herself and proceeded to the bar. This was not the place to cause a scene- she would get her revenge eventually.

A few minutes later, Kisame returned from the restroom and scooted back into the tiny booth, glad to see Sakura had been cooperative for once. Except upon further inspection, he noticed the jug of sake he requested was on the other side of the table- _Sakura's_ side- and said girl was now smugly pouring herself a shot, holding the cup with a very peculiar smile on her face, eyes darting to something in front of him.

He looked down. A shapely, perspiring glass filled with some sort of blue liquid- garnished with an orange slice, twisting straw and tiny umbrella- sat parked in front of him like some sort of personal mockery. Needless to say, his little plan had backfired.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kisame inquired, containing his rising ire and confusion, pointing to the anything-but-manly drink in front of him.

"I thought you'd like it- suits you," Sakura said nonchalantly, downing her shot.

Kisame shot the smug girl a murderous glare, and reached across the table, in an attempt to grab the jug of sake- _his_ jug of sake.

"No, no, no. This is _mine_," she said, firmly gripping the container and hugging it to herself. The sight of her so possessively clutching the jug somewhat lessened Kisame's anger to a sort of half-amused irritation, as he settled back into his seat with arms crossed and observed the crafty girl.

"You can't even drink it all, kunoichi."

"Yes I can, _shark_."

Kisame vaguely remembered some saying about life giving one lemons, and what to do with said fruits.

"Might as well bet on it," he suggested.

"Gladly. Terms?"

"If you can drink the entire jug without getting wasted, I'll pay for all the drinks we have from now on."

Sakura's brow quirked in intrigue. He was being bold. He was underestimating her.

"_Limitless_?"

"I don't go back on my word."

"Heh. Well then, you better have brought a big wallet, fishboy," Sakura teased with a smirk on her face rivalling even Kisame's most dangerous ones.

He was intensely scrutinizing Sakura's face looking for any sign of a bluff behind her shining, green eyes, but found none. Some part of him suddenly felt like he may have just dug his own grave, but then his eyes drifted to the container of sake on the table- the _two litre_ container. Of alcohol. Which was about to be going into a five-foot something, probably not even hundred-pound body. Kisame grinned. He had this- he already won.

Sakura wasn't backing down though. Her index finger traced the edge of the jug's lip tantalizingly as she waited for the man in front of her to retract his offer. By no means an alcoholic, she could still handle her liquor; it was her metabolism which made it possible. Nevertheless, she glanced quickly at the jug and realized she'd never actually tried to take on such a large amount at once.

_'Heh. I'm not Tsunade's apprentice for nothing,'_ she thought inwardly, giving herself one last boost of confidence.

"Oh, and if you _do_ somehow manage to drink it all, it has to stay inside. You vomit, you lose," Kisame added finally. This was going to be interesting.

"I won't lose. But suppose somehow I do? What hypothetical prize will you win?"

"Hmm. I'll have to think about it. I'll tell you when you puke your guts out."

"Ha! I guess I'll never know then," Sakura said, pouring herself a drink and holding the cup, tipping it at the confidently seated man in front of her, "Cheers."

Kisame just chuckled, entertained by the girl's determination at least.

"Well, while you're busy trying to win an impossible battle, I might as well brief you on some things," he said, leaning back into the worn leather seat and lowering his voice.

"I don't know the exact location of our little friend, but he's supposed to be somewhere in Tea. We're heading to a small port village there to meet a contact who will hopefully tell us more- that is, if we don't cross paths with our target beforehand."

Sakura downed her third shot as she listened to Kisame speak, and lifted the still-heavy jug, ready to pour herself a fourth. Somewhere deep in the recesses of the logical part of her mind, a voice told her she bit off more than she could chew- in more ways than one. Gulping down any doubt with another shot of sake, she ignored the bitterness on her tongue and the slight thickening of saliva at the unpleasant taste. She decided to distract herself instead by asking Kisame questions.

"How long is the journey towards this village in Tea?"

Kisame's gaze drifted to the girl's small fingers gingerly holding the drinking cup, raising it to her lips and allowing the liquid to shoot down her throat in one swift motion. A brief flash of distaste marred her usual determined face, and then the tip of her tongue licked up the remnants of liquor on the bottom lip. Quickly, he remembered Sakura's question, and silently cursed himself for getting distracted.

"Usually it's about three-four days on foot, but for us it'll take longer since we'll have to use detours."

Sakura wondered briefly about why they'd need to take an alternate route, but then admonished herself for being so naive- he was a missing nin and she too would be marked as such if anyone found out she went AWOL.

"Anyways, drink up, kunoichi. Don't think you're off the hook just yet."

Alas, the two continued their casual talking as Sakura tipped back shot after shot and half-an-hour later, the girl was feeling nauseous. She mustered every single sober cell in her body to function and make her go through with the challenge, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to form smooth sentences or stop seeing more than one Kisame.

_'So much blue... nnhgg.'_

"Feeling alright there, kunoichi?"

"Wha-? Yeah, _dummy_. I'm fan-_tastic_!" she spoke to the three- six?- Kisames across from her. The still sane part in her mind was telling her to stop her drinking, but there was a louder, more prominent voice rooting her on and telling the other more reasonable one to shut the hell up. Sakura grabbed the ceramic jug and swished it a bit, gauging how much sake was left. To her surprise, only about two shots' worth remained, and if it wasn't for the caustic alcohol flavor dominating her mouth, she could almost taste the victory.

_'Two more. Two more and I can prove shark-face wrong! Cha!'_

In a burst of boldness, Sakura dismissed all ceremony, and just braced herself for the task that was chugging the remnants of the container until it was empty. After all, something about drinking large amounts of alcohol made one feel invincible.

Kisame watched in mild surprise as the pink-haired girl forced the remaining sake down her throat, and he frowned. Did she really prove him wrong? It was impossible for a girl her size to finish that much liquor on her own in less than an hour. Sakura's gaze levelled with his after she had finished her drink, and she slid the jug across the short distance of table between them. He lifted the light, empty container and shook it, taken aback at the unexpected outcome of the little bet. How did this girl always manage to surprise him when he was so sure about something? Kisame rarely lost a bet and he really didn't want to start now. How embarrassing.

"I win, sharky-shark," Sakura proclaimed with all the arrogance she could muster.

The man across from her just scowled, mainly angry at himself for making such a stupid decision. Now he had lost his pride _and_ his sake, but unfortunately gained one drunk kunoichi; in any other case it would have been welcome, but this was _Sakura_. He looked at the very red-faced girl across from him who was now hiccupping and sheepishly grinning at him, her arms still crossed.

Kisame kept his face relatively indifferent and rose up, signalling that they were leaving. There was no point dwelling on his loss- they may as well set out for Tea right away.

"Let's go."

"Hm! I think someone's _mad_," Sakura drawled out in a half-singing voice.

"Tsk, don't be ridiculous. We've idled for too long."

With that Kisame nodded towards the door and a still-out-of-it Sakura mumbled something incoherent and slowly made her way out of the tiny booth. With some effort, she grabbed her backpack, smoothed down her skirt once more and stood up fully, preparing to go after Kisame's now-retreating figure.

She regretted the action immediately.

In an instant, a wave of extreme nausea hit her like a ton of bricks, and she wavered, stumbling forward from the sensation. Trying to dismiss the horrible feeling, Sakura began to head towards the glass door, but it felt like walking across a tightrope blindfolded. The wooden floor panels shifted and swirled like a strange kaleidoscope and the neon signs from outside continued their blinking, further emphasizing the intense sickness Sakura felt. Groaning, the girl relentlessly pushed on towards the door, propelling herself forward with force. She needed air, _badly_.

As soon as she opened the all-too heavy door, she stumbled out and around the building upon noticing a dark alleyway which led out back. Not even bothering to think where Kisame was, Sakura doubled over on her knees and threw up.

If she could have thought beyond the immense nausea and stomach acid threatening to burn away her entire oral cavity, she would have been thoroughly mortified. Kisame was likely somewhere nearby witnessing the disgusting act, and laughing his ass off now that he had in fact won, and proven that Sakura was incapable of consuming such a high amount of alcohol. Unbeknownst to the nearly violent heaving of the girl, Kisame was indeed nearby, but not laughing.

Once again he was at a loss. The gratifying feeling of victory wasn't manifesting itself as he watched Sakura eject the last of the sake, and then with her head lowered and hands outstretched on the ground in front of her, she backed away to lean against a wall.

_'Ohhh, god, my stomach, my head...'_ she mentally groaned. Sakura's eyes were closed and her head lolled back against the cool bricks of the building she had just left. In the fuzzy, spinning haze of her mind, she vaguely registered the approaching footfalls of the man nearby. Sakura imagined Kisame's face as he looked down at her pitiful form, clutching her midsection in agony. She felt his shadow pass over her, but still her eyes remained closed.

"Come. Get up."

The girl shakily inhaled some air through her nose, anger rising at the man's commanding tone. She felt like absolute shit, and Kisame's inconsiderate attitude made her want to smash his head through a wall. Green irises flared as she opened her watery eyes ready to lash out at him, but the hand outstretched towards her face shocked her into silence. Her head still spun, but the large, blue, exposed palm in front of her was no figment of drunken imagination. Without giving it any further thought, Sakura placed her own hand in his- almost like the night in Amegakure- and he closed his fingers over it, pulling her up to her feet.

The dizziness returned as she righted herself, but Sakura blinked away the feeling, not wanting to accidentally fall into Kisame- especially not after having barfed her guts out. She avoided looking at the man, focusing instead on trying to compose herself in her state. Quickly, she brought her hand back to herself, and combed her fingers through the ends of her hair, hoping that no chunks of stomach contents were laced throughout. Self-consciousness was rapidly sobering her, and Sakura was almost missing the carefree ignorance that was drunken stupor. The usual awkward silence that seemed to engulf them at all the worst times manifested itself again, making the entire situation even worse. Not knowing what else to do, Sakura just leaned back against the wall, taking a moment to collect herself before figuring out what to do next.

Kisame looked at her limp form and sighed. Sakura looked like she was about to pass out at any second, and he began considering some options. They had already extended their stay in Otafuku Gai for too long, and it would be dark in a few hours, so if they began their trip southwards now, they'd only have so much time until night fell and made their journey more difficult. He was also tired from his own travelling, not having rested for two days, so Kisame came to a conclusion- they'd spend the night in this village. Sakura wasn't in any condition for fast-paced travel anyway, so really, it was the most logical decision.

He looked back to the wall where the girl leaned, slowly sliding downwards, as she was losing ability to support herself any more.

"Kunoichi."

"...what..."

"We're going to an inn."

"...okay."

"Can you walk?"

"I think so..."

"Come."

Sakura peeled herself away from the wall and stumbled on towards the black shape in front of her. She didn't really register a whole lot of what Kisame was saying since she was still preoccupied with her intense migraine and still-sensitive stomach, but as long as there would be running water wherever they were headed, she wasn't going to complain.

After walking for a few minutes, they headed into a building on the right side of the street and quickly procured a room. With the key in hand and Sakura wobbling beside him, Kisame found their door and opened it. The interior was dark and it took a few seconds for the light to turn on, but even after it was lit, the room remained dim. There was a tiny window, shrouded in some garish patterned curtains, and one bed against the center wall.

If Sakura wasn't still drunk, she would have requested her own room- or been embarrassed again, or _something_- but all she could currently process was the sight of the sink behind the half-open bathroom door. Instantly, she made a beeline towards it, and shut herself in.

Kisame listened to the water begin to run behind the bathroom door and took Samehada off of his back, placing it against the wall as he usually did. Then he eyed the queen-size bed and frowned. This was going to be very...strange... sharing a room with the kunoichi. Sure, she was still out of it, but this wasn't a one-night deal- he was about to spend two whole _months_ with her. Alone. Together. Sharing...spaces, and stuff. He moved away from the bed and ran a hand through his hair, drawing open the curtain of the window, and looking down into the streets below. The place was annoyingly loud, and not even being shut behind a door was helping any, as a constant thrum of music could be heard all around. He could even hear voices from outside whenever someone passed by and decided that he would never come back to the town ever again, especially considering how misfortune seemed to follow him here every time.

How strange it was that the first time he came to Otafuku Gai, was with Itachi when they were after the Kyuubi kid years ago. Thinking back, Kisame realized just how much had changed since then. Hell, Itachi never even had any intention of capturing the boy in the first place- it was all an act so Konoha would learn to keep a tighter leash on their little jinchuriki. Even more peculiar was that while Kisame perused Konan's notes on Madara back in Amegakure, Kisame had stumbled upon a data file of jinchuriki which included Naruto himself. That wasn't so surprising in and of itself, but under his team information, it included Sasuke and Sakura as teammates.

_'__Small world,' _he thought amusedly, as he realized he had run-ins with each one of them in the city. Was the universe really trying to tell him something?

Well, whatever the case, hopefully this time around he could leave Otafuku Gai without having to rip through a giant toad intestine, because that would really put a damper on things. Drunken kunoichi beat that experience any day.

Some time later, said kunoichi re-emerged from the bathroom rousing Kisame from his mental reverie. He was still standing at the window, but she made no real notice of the solemn man, as she headed straight towards the bed. Every muscle in her body felt like jelly, and her brain was still throbbing inside her skull, and unfortunately no amount of healing chakra or sobering showers could help the fact.

_Plop_.

Kisame turned to the left and blinked at the girl spread across the entire bed like some sort of bear rug, backpack dangling from her hand and off the edge of the bed.

_'Great.'_

Once more, he asked himself why he was putting up with this. Could he not have made the journey on his own? Of course. But he was a newly discovered masochist, so he couldn't just forget _that_. Shrugging off his coat, Kisame spread it out on the ground next to the bed, and grabbing a pillow, completed his makeshift sleeping area. Sure, he could take advantage of Sakura's complete drunken oblivion and lay down next to her on the mattress, but there was no way he was about to get that close. A sore back sounded much more favorable than uncomfortable proximity and morning misunderstandings.

With a sigh, he lied down onto the ground, with his fingers laced behind his head and legs crossed over one another. Staring off into the black void of the room, Kisame listened to the girl on the bed next to him lightly snoring and he fell asleep soon after.

**.-.-.-.**

A few hours later, Sakura awoke in a hazy cloud of semi-consciousness. She was having a particularly disturbing nightmare and her mouth was getting dry from dehydration. Face-down in questionably stale-smelling linens, she slowly turned herself over to take in her surroundings. Her head was still thumping rhythmically, but oddly, she found it didn't hurt at all and the dizziness was gone.

_'Strange...'_ she inwardly thought to herself, as she tried to come to terms with the obscure and dark place she occupied, and that _really freaking loud_ thumping which was starting to get on her nerves.

Thumping... moaning, panting, squeaking and _screaming_.

Sakura's eyes widened in horror as she realized what that sound had been. Of course- she was in _Otafuku Gai_. Frozen in chilling fear, the girl slowly turned her head to either side of the bed, tentatively feeling the covers for indication of a body, ready to scream in panic if a naked blue-skinned shark-man was lying there. After noticing she was alone on the mattress, Sakura allowed herself to untense a little. _Good_, she had her own room. Letting out a deep breath, she allowed her frenzied heart to calm down before getting up to get a drink of water.

As Sakura padded towards the bathroom, she recalled the events of the day before, when she had so foolishly gotten herself drunk and allowed Kisame to win the stupid bet. With great dismay, she realized she would have to brace herself for the gloating which would likely ensue tomorrow. And what did he win, again? Her hazy mind still couldn't remember. After taking a good few gulps of water from the sink, Sakura made her way back towards the bed and noticed that the noisy couple next door were still going at it.

She rolled her eyes at their tactless vocalizations, refraining from throwing her own opinions their way. How the hell was she going to fall back asleep in this kind of environment? On top of that, the music and activity from outside was also adding to the disturbing ambiance, and with a grunt, Sakura sat back down onto the bed. To her further agitation, it seemed like the couple were right behind the wall adjacent to the bed, and suddenly, a horrifying thought crossed her mind and she pressed her ear to said wall.

"Oh god, I hope it's not Kisame."

"Unfortunately, no."

With a shriek, the girl fell backwards off of the bed and onto something hard- and it wasn't the floor.

Kisame let himself chuckle as the kunoichi landed on him after successfully startling her.

"What the hell!" the girl yelled, her throat still scratchy. Quickly, she leapt off of the man and back onto the bed, clutching a pillow to her chest and looking down.

He leaned back on his elbows and looked up at Sakura's illuminated face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, thoroughly shocked to see him.

"Sleeping."

"Clearly you weren't."

"What can I say? Something woke me up."

In the silence that ensued, both of them listened awkwardly to that "something". Face reddening from their situation, Sakura looked away from him and cleared her throat loudly, hoping to muffle the sexual sounds from beyond their thin walls. Even as a mature medic, it was hard to ignore such graphic noises- especially when one was in such close proximity to a half-naked man. Then she remembered that she was sitting on a bed which was likely in poor hygienic condition and leapt off the mattress in sudden disgust.

"Gross. I hate this place," she said, digging through her bag in search of anything with the words antibacterial or antiseptic on it.

"Not my fault you can't hold your liquor," Kisame replied.

_'Oh right, that.'_ Instantly Sakura remembered how exactly she ended up sharing a small motel room with Kisame. She cringed.

"Did I puke on you?"

"Yes, I had to get rid of all my clothes."

Sakura gasped in horror, both at the fact that she had done such a disgusting thing and that Kisame likely had nothing to wear now. And that meant that moments ago she had fallen on-

Kisame chuckled and then rose up, indicating that he was indeed clothed- somewhat. Sakura scoffed at the man, looking away lest her gaze linger on his bare chest. It was still dark in the room, but the light from the bathroom illuminated just enough muscle to render quite a nice image. Despite it all, she was still cranky; here she was, stuck in a motel room in the raunchiest place possible, recovering from a hangover, and staring at a shirtless Kisame while listening to passionate sex from the room next door. If that didn't cause tension, she didn't know what did.

"I think we should leave" she suggested loudly, mostly just hoping to fill the silence.

"Right now?"

"Uh, yeah I guess."

"Fine by me," he said, shaking out his coat and putting it on.

Sakura didn't think Kisame would so quickly agree to go, but was glad that he did. Hurriedly gathering their things, the two discreetly made their way out of the motel with silent vows never to revisit. Both were still tired, but would rather endure a taxing journey through the forests than to stay back in the room together. Even without the sounds coming through the walls in the other room, just being so close in a small room together was causing enough unease.

The streets of Otafuku Gai were just as noisy and filled with people as they were in the day, and briefly Sakura wondered if the village ever slept. Quickly weaving through the crowds of people, the duo made their way out in no time and headed off-path towards Tea Country. The paved roads were abandoned in favor of sheltered forest as they trekked through wild brush and trees in the cold autumn night. With the darkness, it was difficult to see, and they kept their pace slower than usual, taking time to navigate through the difficult terrain. Sakura just trudged on, blindly following Kisame and using the stark white of Samehada's bindings as a guide. She was right behind the man, lugging her heavy backpack and still feeling slightly sick from the previous day's drinking. A dull throb pulsed behind her head and Sakura decided to get rid of it before it became a full-on migraine.

Her hand gently touching the skin on her infamous forehead, she allowed some chakra to flow out and soothe the aching spot. At that moment though, she bumped into Kisame's back.

"Ow, geez."

"What're you doing, kunoichi?"

"Getting rid of a headache," she said irritatingly, rubbing her nose now that it had collided with his hard back and probably Samehada. _'Ew.'_

"Well I'm afraid that's not an option right now- mask your chakra," Kisame commanded.

Instantly, the girl cursed her carelessness- he was right. They were still in Fire Country, and they had to remain as inconspicuous as possible lest any patrolling shinobi sense their chakra presence. The glowing green was gone in a flash as Sakura suppressed her chakra to a barely noticeable amount and Kisame turned back around to continue walking after he deemed her action acceptable enough. She rolled her eyes at his back, just knowing how victorious he felt at being so right all the damn time.

"I can tell you're being just as smug as ever," she said indignantly.

"Good."

Sakura grunted in annoyance as she moved forward, jumping over a large log and regretting it as her stomach protested. It really sucked not being allowed to use her chakra.

"Oh, I almost forgot," she said, suddenly stopping, as she reached around towards her backpack and took it off, searching for something inside.

"Hm?"

After a bit of digging, she withdrew a plastic container full of something unrecognizable in the dark. Sakura popped off the lid, and took something out of it, tossing whatever it was towards Kisame who was facing her again. The man caught it and sniffed the small, ball-shaped thing in his hand.

"Eat it, it's good for you."

"I don't know how much I trust that statement," he replied and Sakura imagined his face looking very sceptical at the moment.

"Oh, grow a pair," she retorted, and popped one into her mouth demonstrating that the stuff was clearly not poisoned.

Kisame just grunted and did the same, not pleased at the insult to his masculinity. There was no way some little kunoichi was going to get the upper hand over something like this. After some chewing, he spoke up.

"What..._was_ that?"

Sakura just put back the container and replaced her backpack on her shoulders, continuing past the still-standing Kisame.

"Soldier pills. Made by yours truly," she said with no shortage of pride in her voice. Sakura wasn't stupid- everyone that tried her infamous concoction never wanted to do so again, and having Kisame eat one would surely bring him down a few notches on the holier-than-thou scale. Even _she_ thought they were particularly difficult to stomach, but after having so many, her palate eventually got used to it. But despite the horrible taste, they actually were incredibly nutritious, if she did say so herself. Sakura heard Kisame's footsteps crunching in the leaves as he continued walking behind her.

"Not bad."

"Really?" she asked, genuinely surprised. But then again...

_'Of course Kisame would like them,'_ Sakura thought inwardly, remembering how he ate an entire fish raw that one time. Part of her was slightly disappointed that she couldn't make him lose his composure, but the other half was pleased that at least someone could handle her culinary skills.

Now the man was in step with her, standing off to her left, brushing branches away from his face as they continued on through the forest.

"The aftertaste is a bit strange though. What's in it?"

"_That_ I can't tell you; secret recipe."

"Heh, well looks like you'll come in handy after all," he said in his usual teasing voice.

"I was handy to begin with, shark. Are you starting to feel the effects?"

Kisame paused for a second and then kept walking.

"Interesting," he said, feeling much more energetic now than a few minutes ago. His muscles felt less weary with each step and his tiredness was fading. Sakura just made a very contented noise next to him.

"And here I thought you were trying to drug me with something so you could take advantage of me," Kisame continued, baiting the girl.

"_Ha-ha_. As if I'd need drugs," she retorted.

"Oh?"

"I mean come on, let's face it. You're a blue-skinned man with gills on his face and weird eyes. I doubt you get taken advantage of too often, no offense," Sakura said boldly, but laced with good humor so as not to sound too cruel.

"Heh, clearly you're inexperienced, kunoichi. Only a real woman knows what really matters," he responded with his usual grin.

"Hmm, money?" she said, playing dumb, "You never said you were rich."

As if he could get to her with a remark like that, Sakura thought, commending herself on her quick-wittedness.

Kisame sighed in mock exasperation.

"I suppose you're still too young to understand, but speaking of money, that reminds me- I won the bet back at the bar, in case you forgot."

"Whatever," Sakura grumbled, forcefully swiping away a leafy bush. For some reason, she couldn't remember exactly what he won, but hopefully she hadn't proposed something too terrible.

"But, I think I'll need more time to figure out just what my prize is," Kisame said.

"What? You can't do that!" she protested.

"Why not?"

"Because! That's not how bets work."

"Well I said I'd come to a decision on my prize after you failed. And you did. Now I can have some time to think about what I want."

Sakura was thoroughly frustrated, embarrassed and mad at herself for having agreed to such a thing. Now she was paying for it, and she didn't even know how. And knowing Kisame, it would likely include something completely humiliating or creepy, like eating a live mouse or using Samehada as a stripper pole. Or both. Sakura shuddered at the disturbing mental imagery and increased her pace, glad at least that the soldier pill was giving her energy in case she needed to make a run for it.

_'Oh god, anything but __the sword.'_

Sakura and Kisame trudged on through thick forest all throughout the night mostly in silence, only pausing to get a drink of water or eat another soldier pill. By the time dawn broke through the canopy of the trees, four hours had passed since they left Otafuku Gai, and Sakura was feeling the wear on her limbs despite the stamina-boosting qualities of the pills. Walking non-stop with a heavy backpack, and a still-present headache wasn't helping much either, and eventually the need arose to take a longer break.

"How much longer until we get to the village?"

"We're still in Fire Country, and judging by the air, we're not even near the coast yet."

Sakura just made a groaning noise and twisted her back, trying to work some kinks out. Kisame was a couple of feet away and gave her a sidelong glance, realizing the girl was wearing out. There was no use continuing on if they went at a snail's pace, and he really didn't feel like carrying her while simultaneously navigating through the thick forest. Doing a quick scan of the surroundings, he found no traces of other people, so he stopped and dug something out of his coat pocket.

"We can rest here for a moment, but we're not setting up camp."

Sakura knew it was a risk, and was surprised that he suggested a break- after all, it was morning now, and they were still relatively close to Konoha. She plopped down on a patch of moss and rested her back against a tree, inhaling the woody scent of the forest. Kisame was now standing nearby, holding a map and studying it intensely. Upon hearing the faint rustle of paper, Sakura opened one eye and observed the man as he scanned the page, brow furrowed in thought. For a moment, she imagined him at a desk, spectacles resting on the bridge of his nose, studiously reading some pretentious literature. Not meaning to, she laughed through her nose, prompting Kisame to look at her from behind the map. His eyes met hers directly and she looked away, trying to ignore the vexing fluttering of her heart at his intense gaze.

"Something wrong, kunoichi?"

"_No_," she responded as dismissively as possible, focusing on kneading the muscles in her outstretched legs, "I was just wondering what you're looking at."

"A map."

"That's nice."

"Looks like there's a small crossroads nearby where we could get lodgings."

"Oh good. I'm kinda hungry anyway."

"Alright then, let's go."

Sakura sprang up enthusiastically, glad to at least have something to look forward to now.

"I guess you came in handy too, shark."

Kisame gave one of his nasal snorts at the remark, and together they headed off through the woods again.

* * *

**A/N**: Hey guys. I hope you liked this one, because I had fun writing it hehe! I swear, I could write Kisame and Sakura convos all day long and not get bored.

Um, if you're confused about the part where Kisame is talking about giant toad intestines in Otafuku Gai, it's from episode 85 in the anime haha.

So yeah, review as alllllways because I love reading them while I should be studying for finals... YEAH.

Peace!


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N**: Hey everyone. I just realized I have 100k words (not including this chapter) written for Coercion 8D and on top of that, over 100 reviews! Holy crap!

So thanks for the support and sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

"Ow..." Sakura groaned, sprawled on the grassy ground and panting from exertion.

It was the third day since leaving Otafuku Gai with Kisame, and now they were in some obscure part of Tea Country, having yet another sparring session. Despite the fact that it was late September, Tea was unaffected by the cooler weather which was customary in other parts during this time. After having battled Kisame for a good chunk of time, Sakura felt like it was hotter than Wind Country, and on top of that, she was considerably worn out and covered in scrapes and bruises.

Kisame brushed some grass stains off of his pants and looked down upon the girl on the ground. He felt slightly guilty for pushing her so hard this time, and was going to say something about it, but something about the way her flimsy training shirt stuck to her heaving chest stopped his words from properly forming. He decided to stick to the usual- criticism.

"Your ninjustu needs work, kunoichi."

Sakura absent-mindedly plucked out random blades of grass as she lay with the sun further warming her face. At this rate it felt like she was going to get a sunburn, but she was too exhausted to move.

"Yeah well, it's kinda hard when you keep sucking out my chakra with your precious fishy sword," she murmured, not exactly in the mood to fight him on the critique of her skills.

Kisame had tested her for the first time to see how she'd do with Samehada crippling her chakra supply, and surprisingly, he found she lasted longer than he thought. Lucky for Sakura, Tsunade had trained her primarily in taijutsu when it came to offensive combat, so she didn't have to rely on ninjutsu like most ninja. But, regardless of where her prowess lay, there was little she could do without her chakra.

"Well, if Samehada is a problem, you'll have to focus on disarming me," he suggested.

Sakura lifted herself on her elbows and looked towards Kisame and the sword in question which he was currently re-bandaging.

"So you mean Samehada can't drain chakra unless it's in your hand?"

"I can't just go about divulging my secrets to you, but you should be trying to figure these things out while you fight me," he responded with his usual grin.

"Fine then, I will. But anyways, I don't see how this is going to help in our fight against Madara, unless he has the same sword as you."

"Of course not, but he's stronger than I am, and if you can beat me at least once, then you'll have a chance against him."

Sakura sighed and plopped backwards onto the ground again, cursing Kisame's infallible logic. He really was in a different league than her, but at the same time, she felt kind of honored that he was training her like this. The things she had already learned by fighting him were invaluable and she wasn't the type to take such things for granted. Silently, Sakura hoped that she too could help him improve somehow.

She sat up and crossed her legs, reaching for her backpack and took out the plastic container again. To her dismay, she realized there were only a couple soldier pills left and she made a mental note to make more later on. Sakura really had to hand it to herself; without the stuff, both she and Kisame wouldn't have had as much stamina throughout their little training sessions over the past few days.

_'Hehe, I really am handy,'_ she inwardly noted, resealing the container.

But now she had to focus on how exactly she would separate Kisame from his sword- and what the secret behind it was. Sakura peered curiously at the hulking sword which lay across Kisame's legs as he tended to it. It was such a strange weapon and she really wanted to know more about it regardless of how the information could help her in fighting him.

"Hey Kisame, how did you end up getting Samehada anyway?"

He glanced up at her and continued pulling the linen bandages tight around the dark scales.

"I killed her prior master."

"Oh."

Somehow that wasn't as exciting as whatever stories Sakura conjured up in her mind about epic quests and trials and whatnot, but she was still curious though, and wasn't about to pass up Kisame's good mood for some juicy information gathering.

"So... who was it then?"

"My superior at the time."

"You killed your master for a _sword_?"

"Hmph, don't assume what you don't know. He had it coming anyway."

_'Great, as if that cleared anything up,'_ Sakura thought, _'Cryptic as always.'_

"I'm not here to give you my life story, kunoichi," he clarified, as if reading her inner thoughts.

"Well _sorry_ for maybe wanting to know a little bit more about the guy I'll be spending two whole months with. Geez, you don't have to be so reclusive all the time."

Kisame chuckled at the girl and pulled the last bandage tight, tying it securely around the middle.

"I don't know much about you either, kunoichi."

"Clearly. You can't even get my name right- last I checked, I was 'Sakura', not 'kunoichi'."

"And I'm neither 'fishface' nor 'sharky'."

"Psh, but fishface suits you so well."

"And _billboard brow_ suits you."

A well-aimed rock was lobbed in the man's direction at the remark, but predictably, he deflected it with Samehada. Sakura decided question time with Kisame was over, as he had the innate ability to kill conversation with alarming ease. Now she regretted telling him about Ino's little nickname for her the day before, because as usual, things backfired. Instead of continuing any petty fighting, she was desperately itching for a shower. Getting up, the girl patted the grass off of her clothing and stretched her muscles a bit. Unfortunately, even such a mundane task felt like overexertion since she was still agonizingly low on chakra.

"I think we should move on. The fishing village isn't too far off, and if we start now, we can make it there by tomorrow," the man spoke, changing the previous subject.

"Another night of trekking through forest? Joy."

"I'm glad you're so enthusiastic."

"I'm more enthusiastic about the prospect of taking a bath."

"Well, I could always use my-"

"_No_. Keep your weird Kisame-chakra-water to yourself."

Kisame just grinned and watched as Sakura grabbed her backpack and headed towards the river a short distance away.

And so continued the routine they settled into for the last three days of travel together. After every spar, they would go off in opposite directions and wash up before continuing their journey through the night. As Sakura walked, further distancing herself from wherever Kisame was, she allowed a small smile to perk up on her face. As insufferable as the shark-man was, at least he valued bathing as much as she did. Whenever they stopped to have a break or to train, Kisame picked a spot near water just for this purpose. Maybe travelling with shark-men had its perks after all, Sakura thought.

Despite the fact that she brought a bathing suit, Sakura went further down the riverbank for her own privacy. Glancing around, she disrobed and jumped into the warm water, washing the day's work away from her sore muscles. As she allowed the gentle stream to flow over her skin, she wondered exactly how Kisame perceived her. Secretly, she hoped that he actually considered her an ally and not just a tag-along in their journey. Sakura was confident in her skills, but sometimes after fighting him, she realized just how much she needed to improve. Granted, their primary strengths were completely different- hers being chakra control and his being chakra abundance- but she was still nowhere near being S-class material. Oh well, there was still time, and now she had other things to figure out like how the hell she would get Kisame to drop that annoying sword during training.

Sakura dunked herself underwater, and grabbed a shampoo bottle from her bag on the bank, lathering up her hair. She dipped her head back into the water to rinse off the suds and immediately after righting herself, was met with the image of a dripping wet torso. Blue skin and scars in places she had memorized- it was Kisame. Sakura didn't get a chance to yell at the man, as he clapped his hand over her mouth and gave her a look which didn't allow for any protest. In her shock, all the girl could do was clutch her chest in an attempt at conserving her modesty and look towards the direction his gaze was turned towards.

"Hunter nin. We're leaving."

Sakura immediately tried to locate the source, but Kisame tossed a shirt at her and already had her bag in hand, indicating that they were leaving. Sakura wasted no time, and quickly donned the loose shirt, not bothering with her shorts since her bathing suit bottoms were already on her. Inwardly, she commended herself on the wise decision, and leapt off into the woods alongside Kisame.

They travelled quickly through the treetops, and Sakura itched to ask the man about the ninja they were fleeing from, since the only thing that was running through her mind now was that they were _Konoha_ hunter nin. And if that were the case, then it meant that they were after _her_. Sakura's heart sped up as she began thinking of the implications; had they found out already? Did they know that she had abandoned her mission?

Did they know who she was with?

Sakura gulped, nearly losing her footing as she leapt across towards the next branch. She was still low on chakra after her fight with Kisame, and as much as the adrenalin coursing through her body was helping, she couldn't go on for much longer like this, let alone fight if the need arose.

As if sensing the girl's distress, Kisame slowed his movements and eventually stopped, leaning against the trunk of the tree he was on, and waited a few seconds for Sakura to join him.

"Mind...explaining...?" she huffed between breaths after coming to a stop next to the man.

"Mist hunter nin. I had them follow a water clone in the opposite direction, so we've lost them."

Sakura exhaled in relief that it wasn't Konoha, and that they had stopped fleeing. Her calf muscles and feet burned and she didn't even care that all she currently had on was a shirt and some panties. Unbeknownst to her, Kisame had just noticed Sakura's state of undress and began feeling slightly disconcerted about the situation. He leapt down off of the tree branch and onto the ground, suddenly needing the space.

"We'll set up camp here for the night," he said from below, and Sakura jumped down as well, taking care to land gently so not to shatter her ankle. Kisame tossed her backpack towards her, and together they sat down on the forest floor, regaining their breaths. Only after getting her breathing down to normal did Sakura realize she had to put on some decent attire, and hid behind a tree to change. To her chagrin, she was covered in debris because unfortunately, leaping through treetops while half-naked and wet caused an array of flora and fauna to attach themselves onto the skin. Regardless, Sakura realized it was the least of her worries, and quickly, she dusted herself off and ruffled out her half-dry hair in an attempt to look somewhat presentable, striding back towards her partner.

"So is this going to be something I should get used to?"

"Walking around in your underwear? Sure, I don't mind-"

"No, you idiot," Sakura interrupted flicking a tiny branch from her hair at Kisame, "I meant the hunter nin."

Kisame sat back against a tree with his eyes closed, as if deep in thought.

"Yeah, welcome to my life."

Sakura sighed and sat down on patch of moss across from him, picking out splinters from the soles of her feet. Surprisingly, there wasn't too much damage considering she had just spent a considerable amount of time running barefoot across tree bark, but her feet were sore and a bit bloody. As she massaged the worn skin, Sakura looked at Kisame and wondered how often he had done this- how often he had to cease whatever it was he was doing in order to escape capture. He was a permanent fugitive; never allowed to return to the place he was born. Sakura felt her chest tighten as she recalled her teammate who was in the same situation, but fortunately for Sasuke, Konoha hadn't dispatched any search and destroy units to capture the Uchiha; the only pursuit teams to ever go after him consisted of friends and comrades, under the intention to bring him back to his village safely. Regardless of his crimes, Sasuke still had people who cared for and wanted him home, but what about Kisame?

"Kisame, why did you leave Mist?"

Sakura expected his usual sigh at being asked something so troublesome, but he answered unfalteringly.

"Because I didn't like being lied to."

Sakura peered at him curiously, noting the way his head rested back against the tree trunk, exposing his neck. Once more, the man looked so vulnerable, yet so unreachable. The way he spoke sounded as if he was talking about the weather, but she knew otherwise- after all, he had really avoided talking about his home and past with her. She felt obliged to say something wise in response, but could only utter a heavy sigh; she understood the gravity of the word "lie" so much more now than ever before. Taking out some disinfectant and a roll of bandages from her bag, Sakura rubbed the salve on her wounds and began unravelling the gauze, gingerly wrapping her foot much in the same way Kisame always tended to his sword.

"So it was that bad, huh?" she said solemnly, focused on her task, but still thinking of Kisame's home.

"We weren't called the 'Bloody Mist' for nothing."

"But then why did you join the Akatsuki?"

Now the man did sigh, and ran a hand through his hair. Sakura looked up at Kisame thoroughly interested.

"False promises, I suppose. I was under the assumption that Pein was the leader, and that the jinchuriki were ultimately being gathered in order to create a way to scare people into not breaking out into wars all the goddamn time."

"_You_ wanted peace?"

"Relatively, anyway. The way I saw it, was that at least I wasn't being fed bullshit anymore. Having come out of Kirigakure, Pein's philosophy made sense for once."

Sakura looked down into her lap, lost in thought. It was like Naruto once said of the man Pein- he really did have noble intentions, just the wrong means of executing them. But in truth, were the sacrifices of nine human beings _really_ enough to stop wars from happening? She wasn't sure, but regardless, would never even think about allowing Naruto or any other jinchuriki to die for such a thing- even if ultimate peace could be guaranteed.

"Well then, what happened next? Why did you leave Akatsuki?" she questioned.

"That's where our friend Madara comes in. Back in Kiri, I had slain my superior after a mission, and unbeknownst to me, Madara was disguised as the Mizukage at the time. He was impressed by my deed, and soon revealed himself to me and told me about this 'Moon's Eye' plan and the organization that was Akatsuki. Little did I know, the Moon's Eye was not what Pein had proposed, but an entirely different plan devised by Madara behind the scenes. In short, he intends to fuse all the tailed-beasts into the ultimate ten-tailed Jubi, at which point he can project his sharingan onto the moon and cast an infinite genjutsu on the entire world."

Sakura blinked at the man who just told her this newfound, and extremely alarming information. She wasn't sure how to process it.

"Forgive me if I have a difficult time believing this."

"I too had a hard time."

"So it's really true?"

"Why would I lie?"

"I guess you wouldn't. But what do you mean by 'cast an infinite genjutsu on the world'?"

"Tsk, basically his egomania is so vast that he intends to become like a god and lull the entire populace into a false sense of security. Essentially, conscious thoughts and actions won't be possible since Madara will have the ability to control everything and everyone."

"What? Why?"

"Peace, control- I don't know. We won't ever know should he succeed."

The pink-haired girl sat completely astounded. It was like every time she had a conversation with Kisame, he would find a way to shock her with some crazy secret which could change the world. How could such a thing like this Moon's Eye even exist? Was it possible? Was it possible for a flesh-and-blood man to have such unfathomable power?

And if so, how were two people going to ever defeat such a man on their own?

The kunoichi realized she was fiddling with the end of the bandage, fraying the threads of the loosely-woven linen. Upon seeing the tattered threads, she inhaled deeply and allowed the late afternoon air of the forest to soothe her anxiety. She- _they_, would do this. People always put themselves in the face of unfavorable odds, and emerged victorious. Besides, she had _Sasuke_ to save, and if Kisame's newfound information was true, then her former teammate was in serious danger walking around with Madara. That gave Sakura all the remaining incentive she needed to fully calm her rising stress, and clear her mind. After all, she already knew that Madara was an extremely powerful enemy, and this new information shouldn't be that surprising- especially since they were going to stop him from carrying out this Moon's Eye plan to fruition.

Instead, she focused her gaze once more on Kisame, who sat basking in the light which filtered in through the canopy above, giving him a deceitfully serene appearance. Sakura recalled what he had mentioned earlier about his great disdain for dishonesty and realized just how virtuous the man really was. Never would she have guessed that one day she would use such an adjective to describe one of the deadliest members of the Akatsuki with, but alas it was true.

_'Maybe if he hadn't grown up in Kirigakure, he would've been just a normal guy,'_ Sakura inwardly thought, already having forgotten about Madara and his plan.

As she continued weaving the bandage around her swollen ligament, she remembered something else.

"Like Zabuza..." she softly whispered, not intending to say it aloud. Zabuza had done terrible things in his life under Mist's rule, and in the end, even he turned out to be not so bad of a guy. She had been so naive back then- when they went on their first real mission as Team Seven and defeated the Mist Demon- and now she found herself allied with another one.

"Hmm?"

"Oh, nothing," Sakura quickly said. She would inquire about Zabuza and their Mist upbringing some other time, but now she was desperately hungry. Having finished bandaging her feet, Sakura rose up.

"I'm going to get some wood for a campfire if we're going to be staying here."

Kisame opened his eyes finally and blinked, and after hesitating for a moment, nodded at the girl. She donned her sandals and quickly left as he stood watching until her pink, black, and grey form disappeared through the trees. A slight unease crept over him both at having just revealed such a personal story to the girl, and also something else. Kisame realized the greater discomfort lay in the fact that he didn't necessarily _enjoy_ that she went off alone like that. He stood frowning, looking down at the leaf-covered floor and feeling an eerie chill wash over him at the thought that he may be...worried.

He scoffed at himself.

Well, _of course_ he was worried. After all, if Sakura was caught, the enemy could use her to get to him. Earlier when he sensed the hunter nin in the distance, he had gotten to Sakura quickly because she wasn't too far off. If she had been any further, she could have been caught and forced to lure him into an enemy trap, and that was _not_ an option. Therefore, he had to look out for her, otherwise his own life could be jeopardized. Nodding to himself in approval, Kisame decided that was a good explanation. He debated whether or not to go after the girl now, but ultimately decided being worried was a stupid sentiment to begin with, considering he had exceptional chakra-sensory abilities. Cursing his idiocy, he put a hand on Samehada's hilt and with ease, located Sakura's chakra. After a moment, he deemed the entire area free of any other shinobi, and then sat back down against the tree.

Now it was high time to chastise himself for once again being so carefree about indulging Sakura in her curiosity about his life. How much more was he going to divulge before the shit hit the fan? Suddenly, a tiny voice from somewhere within him told him to shut the hell up already. With a scowl, Kisame did, although defiantly.

But still,he was being unnaturally trusting with such information. Kisame rubbed his eyes in frustration. Was it because they were allies, him and Sakura? Partners just like he and Itachi once were?

Kisame realized he never was too candid with Itachi either, and they had been partners for years. Except, something about Sakura was just so open and inviting- so unlike his late partner- that it felt good letting her know something so personal about him. Was it because she showed an actual interest? Or was it because she just constantly needed to fill the silence?

Did it matter?

There was the voice again, reminding him that he was over-thinking things as usual. Then Kisame decided to just let things play out- he was done with mulling over each conversation with a fine-toothed comb and reprimanding himself for telling her about his life. What was it that idiot Deidara always ranted on about? Living in the now, was it? Something about unexpected outcomes and no regrets and..._bang_ and _explosions_.

Well perhaps the explosions weren't as useful, but there was something to be said about living in the now and allowing whatever to happen, happen. With a smirk, Kisame got up and headed off to join Sakura in gathering firewood.

**.-.-.-.**

It was almost evening in the forest as two shinobi sat in companionable silence together, the only sound between them the crackle of flames and cicadas all around. Every once in a while, the rhythmic drone was interrupted by the whisper of a page being turned, distracting Kisame from the intense staring contest he was having with one relentless iron pot of water.

His eyes curiously looked over at Sakura who was currently absorbed in some sort of literature. Their dinner of instant ramen was taking longer to prepare than expected, and the kunoichi had decided to spend the time not stirring up any more insightful conversations with him, choosing instead to read. He would never admit it, but a part of him was slightly disappointed at her silence- especially after having decided upon his new resolution to let loose.

"What're you reading?" Kisame finally asked, unable to withstand being ignored so blatantly any longer.

"My horoscope," she murmured, her eyes still glued onto the page.

"Tch, of course you'd be into something so frivolous."

"It's called _entertainment_; you should try it some time."

Kisame almost rolled his eyes; okay maybe he should have just stuck to being quiet.

"By the way, when's your birthday?" Sakura asked.

"March eighteenth," he replied with great disinterest.

"No way!" the girl looked at the man excitedly, finally tearing her eyes away from the magazine.

"What?"

"Our birthdays are ten days apart. I was born on the twenty eighth," she said, a big smile plastered on her face.

Kisame closed his eyes and emitted his usual indifferent snort.

"Well _I_ think it's pretty weird. Anyway, that makes you a Pisces. How fitting."

Sakura's head dove back into her reading, assuredly looking for the Pisces daily prediction. After a few seconds, she laughed loudly but decided not to divulge what was so hilarious, just mirthfully tapping her index finger against her lips.

_'Tease.'_ Kisame sneered at Sakura from his spot. He didn't like being in the dark, but he also didn't care for the farce that was horoscopic astrology. He listened to the girl's amused noises for a few more agonizing seconds, then decided he needed to know, simultaneously cursing his stupid curiosity.

"_What_? Just say it already."

"Not so frivolous anymore, is it?" she said, coyly waggling her eyebrows at making him cave in so quickly.

"Shut up. What does it say?"

"Okay, okay, _Mister Eager_. It says: You may need to rethink your choice in weaponry, as it is clear that you're compensating for something with it."

Kisame frowned, completely taken aback at the unexpected words. The girl peered up to look at the man, and upon seeing his slight shock, burst out into laughter.

Kisame scowled and walked over in an attempt to grab the magazine and check for himself, but Sakura had it in an iron grip, both clutching it and her midsection as she laughed even harder.

"Give it here, kunoichi," he said calmly.

"Ha! Why? Sounds like someone's mad."

"I'm not _mad_, that just sounds like a complete load of crap."

"Oooh, getting defensive! Looks like the stars were right then, eh?"

"Tsk. Let me read it."

Eventually Sakura wiped the tears of laughter from her face and tossed the magazine at the man looming above her. He caught the crinkled item in one hand and began to read it.

"Hmph. Thought so," Kisame said after a brief moment, tossing the magazine back at Sakura and turning back to sit at the opposite side of her again.

"Yeah, I made it up but that doesn't mean it's not true," Sakura teased, motioning to Samehada.

The shark-man emitted his usual grunt of annoyance, mostly to distract himself because he was instead trying incredibly hard not to think about the stupid, meaningless prediction he just read which meant _absolutely nothing at all_.

The one about the _letting go_ and _giving in_ and _spontaneity_ and _potential romantic interests_ which were supposedly forecasted for every single Piscean in the next couple of weeks. Right, meaningless. And Sakura called it...entertainment- yes, that's all it was.

Of course.

"Geez, you don't have to look so depressed, it was a joke," Sakura pointed out after a while, thinking he was still hung up about her offhanded compensation comment. She got up and crouched over the fire now to remove the pot of boiling water from the stand, and poured it into the ramen cups.

Kisame was glad for the distraction because his preoccupied thoughts were beginning to fill him with murderous intent. Remembering Sakura's earlier insult, he tried to find a witty retort or at least defend his honor because he was _so not compensating_, but alas he came up empty. Oh well, he'd get her back some other time.

"Hmph," was all he managed in the end, deciding not to press the matter any further. Sakura's little smirk of victory was not lost on him as she handed him a ramen cup, but something told him to just brush it off. For now.

**.-.-.-.**

The two travelled further southwards the next day, having decided to spend the night at their impromptu campgrounds because of mutual tiredness. Having woken up refreshed and energized the next morning, it took no time to get to their destination which was the small port village near the coast.

Sakura was in a good mood, taking the time to absorb the fresh, humid weather as they neared the coastline, abandoning the shelter of the forests which the two had become accustomed to. The blazing sun was much more tolerable with a misty breeze wafting in from the sea every once in a while, and more and more, Sakura found herself yearning to settle down at a beach and go for a swim. Of course, she had to stop such self-indulgent thoughts as soon as they manifested, because there were much more pressing matters at hand- like locating this secret contact which she and Kisame were currently searching for.

As they approached the small port village, Sakura thought people would be wary of them, but nobody paid the two much notice, as she quickly learned the place was a sort of exchange port for all sorts of shady dealers. Her jovial mood steadily decreased as they encountered what seemed like every possible type of criminal that existed. Pirates, mercenaries, looters, gangsters, pimps, scammers- all of them wandered around the busy village looking to buy, steal, trade or pick fights with whoever gave them a wary eye, which seemed to happen way too often for Sakura's tastes. The place was just as noisy as Otafuku Gai, but instead of music, the sounds of fighting and drunken yelling were the only perpetuators of this noise. Subconsciously, she walked closer to Kisame than usual.

"I think this is the place," said man finally spoke, stopping in front of a wooden, saloon-like building. The sign hanging outside was half broken off, but there was the front of what was once a whole swordfish illustrated on it. Sakura quirked a brow and then continued after Kisame.

"Wait. You stay here," he said.

"What? Why?"

"Because, I didn't say I was coming with anyone; it might look suspicious. I'll be back soon, just go for a walk or something," Kisame said motioning over to the docks.

"Excuse me, but no. We're partners, and I'm going in with you."

Kisame groaned at his annoyingly stubborn 'partner' and then just shook his head.

"If you fuck this up, I'm killing you," he said, and opened the door. Sakura just rolled her eyes at the man and his idle threats, and continued in after him.

A few people were inside the bar, their chatter instantly dying down after noticing Sakura walk in after the tall, cloaked Kisame. As she felt the gazes all settle on her, she cleared her throat and stood taller, trying to pay the leering men no heed. She could almost hear Kisame inwardly cursing his decision for not tying her up outside like some kind of horse, but she was determined not to be treated as such. They headed towards the back of the room, Kisame scanning the area for any sign of the contact, until finally a man came up to him and wordlessly motioned for them to follow. The trio were led towards a back room, which looked just as shady as Sakura imagined, and briefly she wondered if all gangsters strictly followed a certain code concerning how they furnished their hang-outs.

Tacky upholstery? Check. Fake gold trim on everything? Check. Poker table? Check. Statue of naked woman? Check.

Eventually, they were seated at aforementioned tacky, upholstered chairs, and told to wait. Sakura tried her best to keep as little skin contact with the dirty fabric as possible, but eventually deemed it futile, deciding to just sit normally and hope for a nice long shower later on. The man they were meeting quickly strode in, looking no less gaudy than his taste in interior decor. Cheap suit, greased-back hair, sunglasses, cigar, gold rings? Check, check, check!

Sakura stopped her scrutiny after noticing the flash of his eyes upon her person under his shades, and averted her gaze to Kisame's leg next to her. The contact sat down across from them and she could still feel his gaze on her as she tried to remain as stoic as possible.

"You the Akatsuki guy?"

"Hoshigaki Kisame. And you must be Boss Tsuji."

Sakura took the opportunity to look back at the man and observe him, but he wasn't even looking at Kisame, instead still focused on her. _'Ugh.'_

"Is this the payment?" he said, as Sakura tried not to choke on her own spit at the implication. What the hell?

"No, I have your money," Kisame quickly responded.

"Hm," the man said, obviously disappointed. Sakura tried to even her breathing as she was getting closer and closer to snapping.

"So you want to know about Uchiha Madara, eh?"

"Do you know of his whereabouts?"

"Money first."

With a twinge of annoyance, Kisame dug around in his pockets and withdrew a very large wad of rolled up cash. Eyeing it, Sakura guessed there was enough to buy a house in there. Then she wondered where he had acquired such a large amount of cash, but quickly decided it was best to be oblivious to such a thing, considering he was once part of the same organization as one bounty-hunting Kakuzu.

Boss Tsuji grabbed the money greedily, and thumbed through it, taking his sweet time to count it and making damn sure to hike up the anxious anticipation in the room a few notches.

"No can do. This isn't enough," he eventually said, plopping the wad of cash back onto the table and lounging back into his chair with the fat cigar in his mouth.

Kisame got up in a flash, bending over the table between them, and getting in the boss's face in quite an intimidating display of anger.

"This is beyond what we agreed on, _Tsuji_," Kisame said dangerously, pointing to the money. The boss snickered and blew a cloud of smoke into the shark man's face in rude dismissal. Upon sensing impending violence, Sakura decided to butt in.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, I'm sure we can come to an agreement nicely now, can't we?" she offered in her sweetest voice possible, and placed a hand on Kisame's shoulder, hoping he'd release his hold on Samehada's hilt. If this contact had the only information on Madara, they couldn't possibly risk killing him or walking away empty-handed.

Kisame grunted and reluctantly sat back down next to Sakura, as she joined him. As expected, Boss Tsuji was giving her his undivided attention, and Sakura made sure to use it to her fullest advantage.

"Boss Tsuji, was it?" she said, doing her best to smile sweetly and push her chest out more than usual, "Forgive my foolish partner, but he's had a rough day. How about we all have ourselves a drink first, before negotiating any prices."

She could feel both the boss's and Kisame's eyes on her, as each wondered exactly what she had up her sleeve. Sakura wasn't stupid, as it was every kunoichi's duty to practice wit and charm in negotiation skills with the opposite sex. Such skills were crucial in attaining information in some situations, especially when fighting was not an option.

And rule number one in negotiation, was to try to get some alcohol into the target. Lucky for Sakura, it seemed the man fell into her trap and had complied, barking orders at a subordinate to go and get them some drinks. He quickly returned and Sakura felt only slightly disgusted that she'd actually have to drink whatever was in the questionably filmy glasses, because it was now up to her to settle this matter.

"Now, how much money did you have in mind for the information we need?" she asked, trying hard not to touch her lips to the glass as a tiny bit of the amber-colored liquor went down her throat. She watched as Boss Tsuji swigged nearly all of his.

"Hmm, twice this amount," he said, slamming down his glass as his chunky rings clinked against it.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched in fury at the man's audacity, and she felt Kisame stiffen next to her as well. Perhaps this wasn't going as well as she had hoped- thinking back, she really never did do well in these types of situations which required feminine charm. Before she had a chance to speak again, the boss interrupted.

"Unless, you'd like to offer a different type of payment?" he suggested, with a sleazy grin. Sakura shuddered; she knew what he implied. And she also knew that he was _seriously_ pushing his luck, because she did not feel like dealing with this demanding prick right now.

"And what kind of payment is that, Boss Tsuji-sama?" the girl said, tone belying her inward wrath.

"A night with you, _pinkie_," he drawled, puffing a smoke ring at her. Sakura's nostrils flared in distaste and then she decided she couldn't go through with the charade any longer; this guy_ clearly_ didn't know who he was fucking with. Getting up, she slammed her hands onto the table in front of them, simultaneously knocking the man's drink onto himself. Before he had a chance to react, her fists grabbed his collar, and nearly lifted his bulky body off of the ground. She felt Kisame rise behind her, as the boss's henchmen came out from around them, waving their weapons at the duo pathetically. Sakura heard the clang of metal against metal as her partner made easy work of the enemies, and she locked her gaze onto the man she was nearly holding up.

"Now, what was that you said? I want you to repeat it."

"Heh, you don't scare me bitch."

Sakura punched him with her free hand as soon as he uttered the insult, getting him across the nose with a resounding crack as the bone broke. His sunglasses shattered too and were flung away from the force of the hit, exposing his beady little eyes. As Tsuji wailed in pain bringing his hands up to his now profusely bleeding nose, he tried to break free of Sakura's grasp, but to no avail. Kisame was now done with the henchmen and standing next to Sakura, deciding to observe the girl, curious of her intentions.

She raised her fist once more, allowing the green glow of chakra to flare around, promising a whole new level of pain should the boss decide to be difficult again.

"That's what you get for being a complete, ungrateful _ass_. Now, give us the information on Madara, and we'll leave peacefully. Otherwise, prepare for a good beating- and an embarrassing one at that, especially at the hands of 'pinkie'," Sakura spat.

"Okay, okay," the man said, waving his hands around as blood still gushed from his nose. Sakura glared and then let him go, his body dropping down into the chair. She stood over him menacingly lest he decide to make the worst decision of his life and run.

"Last I heard, he was down south on Jiro Island."

"Are you fucking with me?" Sakura threatened, raising her fist once more and pinning the man with the most terrifying gaze a pink-haired girl could manage.

"No! No, I swear it's the truth!" he pleaded.

Sakura could detect no lie in his widened eyes, and then looked over to Kisame to gauge his reaction. He just smirked, nodding in confirmation.

"What else do you know?"

"Nothing! I just heard he was there with some kid! Please don't kill me, I have a family!"

Sakura ignored his pleas, breath hitching at the mention of Madara being with some kid. _'Sasuke...'_ she filled in, her fist shaking involuntarily.

"Where on Jiro Island?" Kisame now asked, noticing the slight shift in Sakura's resolve.

"I don't know! But it's not a big place, I'm sure he'll be easy to find."

Kisame just scoffed, grabbing the drink he was offered earlier and downed the entire thing in one go. Sakura recomposed herself, and threatened the boss once more with another punch, but instead brought her glowing fist down upon the table, smashing it to pieces. Boss Tsuji had scampered off of his chair and onto the ground in fright, and just watched wide-eyed as Sakura snatched up the money and headed back out towards the entrance with Kisame.

"So, what the hell was that?"

"That's how I do business," Sakura said, cockily fanning herself with the money they just managed to save.

"Remind me never to do business with you then," Kisame said, grinning at the surprising turn of events.

They left the bar unhindered, and stepped out into the afternoon sun, preparing to decide what course of action to take next.

"Okay, so Jiro Island, then?" Sakura inquired.

"Not yet. I need to get some supplies while we're here."

"Oh, going shopping with the money we just made?"

Kisame grinned and then snatched the wad of cash from the girl who was waving it at him. Now she had her arms crossed and eyed him defiantly.

"You know, you didn't even _thank _me- if I had listened to you and stayed out here like some dog, you would've ended up much poorer _and_ lacking in the information department. You, Kisame, suck at negotiating."

"Oh? You didn't even wait for me to go through with my plan, and on top of that, you managed to make a mess of the place and any future dealings I could've had with my contact, _Miss Destructive_."

Sakura plucked a piece of woody debris from her hair and just looked at Kisame almost innocently, taking note of the toothy grin he flashed her, and the glimmer of something in his eye.

"Shut up, you know you need me," she said, looking over to the harbor, mesmerized by the gentle swaying of the small boats.

"I suppose you have your uses," Kisame responded, and after a bit of shuffling, extended his hand towards Sakura.

"Here, get yourself something."

The girl turned towards him and was surprised at the money in his hand which he was offering her. She gave him a bit of a disbelieving look, but then took the cash, further surprised at the amount given.

"Meet me back here in half an hour. Oh- and do manage not to smash anyone to bits while I'm gone; I don't feel like coming to your rescue this time."

Sakura snorted at the remark, and flashed him her own sly grin.

"Likewise, shark."

And with that, they went off in their separate ways.

* * *

**A/N**: OMG compensation joke I know, how predictable. But, I couldn't resist- after all, it _is_ Kisame right? Haha :P I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and don't mind the lack of any actual plot since I pretty much just want Sakura and Kisame to hang out some more and get to know each other better. By the way, both their birthdays are actually true, as I so happily found out. What a coincidence that they'd be so close to one another- I think this proves that this pairing was just meant to be, am I right? ;)

Also! Me and my artist roomie have set up a deviantart account which will consist of Kisame and Sakura drawings (some relevant to this fic) so go ahead and check it out if you have time. The username is LPilz (no period after the L).

Anyways, review, as usual, and I'll see you guys next time~!

Adieu!


	23. Chapter 23

Half an hour passed by quickly, and the two shinobi made their way back to the meeting spot to reconvene with one another and continue on their journey. Sakura walked forward with a giant paper bag full of items, barely able to see fully ahead of her, but not missing the image of Kisame sitting on the porch of the bar they previously left. She took her time walking back, taking in the sight of her partner against the backdrop of stark white gravel road. He still wore his dark blue Akatsuki-issue pants and white leg warmers, but without the red-cloud coat, instead opting to permanently wear his plain black one. Sakura was glad for it- glad that the constant reminder of the evil organization wasn't constantly staring her in the face, despite knowing that Kisame was not longer part of the group. He turned his head towards her as she approached, and then rose up, giving her a strange look upon noticing either her bulky parcel or the fact that she was ogling him- she wasn't sure.

"What's all this for?" he asked, curiously eyeing the items which were sticking out of the bag she held, "You cooking me a nice dinner?"

"Fortunately for you, I'm not," she responded, setting the bag down so she could roll her shoulders. With the weight of her backpack and the bag, she was starting to regret buying so much.

"_Fortunately_?"

"Yeah," she said, fanning herself with her hands from the heat, "unless you really want a meal which consists of lizard tails and deer antlers."

The man chuckled, a slightly perplexed look on his face. Noticing the antler poking out of the bag, he realized Sakura was serious.

"And you question _my_ eating habits."

"These are ingredients for my next batch of soldier pills," she said, matter-of-factly.

Kisame just shook his head, and then looked around.

"I've decided that we'll stay in this village for a while and get some training done before heading towards Jiro Island."

"Really? Is it a good idea to wait? What if our _target_ leaves?"

"I doubt it. He really has nowhere to be yet, and I'm willing to guess he's either training your boyfriend or himself. Besides, we need to get you in shape for battle anyway."

Sakura ignored the boyfriend comment and just nodded in agreement. The part about training was more important now anyway.

With that, Kisame grabbed Sakura's bag of ingredients and straightened.

"Let's go."

She smiled a little at the uncharacteristically nice gesture and walked with the man.

In no time, they found a decent looking inn amongst the rough establishments in the small village. Instead of paying double for two different rooms, they paid a little extra for one which was bigger and had a kitchenette included, much to Sakura's joy. Still, she felt slightly embarrassed as she walked next to Kisame through the small corridors of the building in search of their motel room, because unlike the time in Otafuku Gai, this time she was sober and able to feel the implications of what a man and woman getting a room could be. She gulped down the strange feeling, trying to stave off any blush which could creep up. If Kisame acted so casually about the entire thing, why couldn't she? If anything, they were completely platonic in their relations, and so far, the shark-man had been surprisingly gentlemanly with her; giving her space when she bathed or changed, and trying to keep the racy remarks to a minimum. Well, a _bare_ minimum. But anyway, she had been in his apartment back in Amegakure- and if that wasn't too close for comfort, she didn't know what was. This was a piece of cake- there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

They found their door after what seemed like forever, and walked into the room. It looked similar to what the one in Otafuku Gai looked like, and inwardly, Sakura prayed that this time there wouldn't be a repeat of any awkwardness concerning noisy neighbors or falling onto any half-naked roommates. Kisame jolted the girl from her thoughts as he plopped the paper bag onto a small table in the kitchen and turned on a light.

Suddenly abandoning her previous thoughts, she beamed at the fact that the room really was bigger, and upon further observation, had a sofa, which meant that there was absolutely no chance that she and Kisame were sleeping anywhere near each other. With a mental cheer, Sakura then headed towards the kitchenette and began opening the drawers and cupboards.

"Score! Dishes and utensils! Ooh and look, dish soap too," she proclaimed enthusiastically, bent down with her head in the cupboard under the sink.

Kisame snorted half-amusedly at the strange girl and decided to go take a shower while she fawned over cutlery. After he closed himself in the small bathroom, he realized it had been a while since he had such privacy, and decided to take full advantage of the moment since it was questionable when he'd get another chance. Quickly disrobing, he entered the shower. Ignoring the filmy residue on the tiled walls, Kisame let the water flow over his neck and chest, soothing his aching muscles and washing away the days' sweat. After some time just standing under the flowing water, he realized the motel failed to supply any soap, and he had just recently run out. Cursing his luck, Kisame debated washing up with just water, but then decided against it, considering the humidity had made his skin particularly sticky today. With a frustrated click of his tongue, he stepped out of the tiny shower stall and strode towards the door again, opening it ever so slightly.

"Hey."

"...hmm?"

"Have any soap?"

"There isn't any in there?"

"No shit."

"Mm, your charm makes me want to leap up and fulfill your _every_ request," Sakura mumbled, clearly in no rush to help him out with his hygienic woes.

Either way, he didn't appreciate the sarcasm, nor the underlying demand to utter a word which he never said. He waited a few moments in case she decided to be useful for once, but instead, all he heard were the incessant sounds of something clinking. With a groan he squashed his soon-to-be-hurting pride.

"...please."

It was barely audible even for him.

"Hm?" came the expected response from the girl.

"_Please_, bring me some soap," he said once more, still barely above a murmur.

The clinking sound became louder, and he sighed. Of course _Sakura_ would drag this out.

"Kunoichi, just give me some damn soap, I don't have all day," he snapped.

"I'm not _kunoichi_, and you forgot the magic word."

"If you don't bring me the goddamn soap, I'm coming out naked and finding it myself, _kunoichi_."

As Kisame could guess without even looking, Sakura gasped at his audacity, but quickly tried to mask it. There was no way she was going to let him get away with this. She fought the images threatening to expose themselves in her mind at the mention of Kisame butt-naked, and then cleared her throat.

"Hm. I doubt you'd be able to find my soap anyway, but you're welcome to try- I'm a medic; naked bodies don't scare me, shark," she said as casually as possible, hoping that he would buy it.

Of course, Sakura had seen many a naked male in her life, but something about seeing Kisame in such a state of undress would just cause unnecessary awkwardness- especially considering their current accommodations. Suddenly, she found herself wishing that she'd have given him the damn soap and gotten this stupid game over with; it always caused more harm than good, despite how momentarily amusing it was.

_'You reap what you sow, Sakura,'_ she inwardly admonished, not liking the ominous silence from beyond the bathroom door.

Biting her lip, she stared at the door, wondering how exactly she would maintain a solid poker face when Kisame sauntered out in all his glory. But she _had_ to, because she started this round and had to emerge victorious- he would not make her lose her composure _that_ easily. Sakura continued grinding herbs with her mortar and pestle, agonizingly waiting for the man to come out, but instead, only his voice resonated from beyond the wooden door.

"_Sakura_- bring me some soap, _please_," he ground out in irritation, making sure she heard him this time.

The girl in question almost choked in surprise both at the fact that Kisame had caved in and at the strangeness of finally hearing him say her name. She wasn't sure if it was the first time, but it really did sound weird.

"Fine, I guess I'll let you have it," she said in mock-exasperation, with a hidden smile gracing her face as she went to go dig in her bag.

_'So he really isn't so eager to strut around naked, __after all. Maybe my compensation comment really did hit home yesterday,'_ she inwardly mused, walking over to the bathroom after finding the body wash.

She stuck out her arm, tapping the bottle against the door, and watched as he opened it more, a water-droplet covered arm thrusting out and grabbing the item. Before closing it back, Kisame tipped the bottle at her in what must have been thanks, and shut himself back in.

"Hey, you can't have _please_ without _thank you_!" she yelled, but all she heard was a muffled smirk and the shower turn back on.

"Hmph, defiant jerk," Sakura said, chuckling to herself as she walked back to the kitchen to resume her work.

It was alarming what a sense of normalcy they had settled in. Despite how much he teased her, she found it more fun to come up with witty retorts than to constantly get mad at the prodding. The awkward silences were diminishing, as they both felt gradually more comfortable and used to the other, and also, the fact that Kisame had decided to share a little bit about his life in Mist the other day, was not lost on the girl. She paused in her task as she recalled what he had told her about his village's betrayal, and then realized that Kisame must have some serious trust issues because of his life experiences.

_'So how can he trust me?'_ she asked herself, wondering if he did at all even.

But of course- he had to. If he didn't trust her, Kisame wouldn't have joined in this extremely arduous task with her- hunting Madara. And if he did, then what caused him to do so? Suddenly, Sakura found herself strangely perplexed. After all, she almost killed him long ago when they were captives in Kabuto's lab, and even though it never came to that, there was no reason for Kisame to trust her. As she continued grinding her herbs, Sakura remembered Konoha and the trust issues they _still_ had with her- which was justifiable in a sense, considering she was pretty much missing-nin status by now.

_'No use stressing over that anymore,'_ she reminded herself. There really was no use in dampening her oddly chipper mood at the moment, and the girl mentally vowed not to think about that anymore- at least for the remaining duration of their mission.

Now, it was just her and Kisame, and the promise of many difficult training sessions ahead, but for once, she found herself actually looking forward to it. Once upon a time, she had been secretly jealous of Naruto and Sasuke for always getting Kakashi's attention when it came to training. After growing up and maturing, she understood why her former teacher focused on the two boys- often at her expense- but Sakura found herself unable to feel wholly happy about the fact. After all, she was human, and in the end, she felt more and more useless as her two teammates continued to become stronger. She never wished to take away what Naruto and Sasuke had, but often found herself slightly depressed at her own lack of growth- until she made the wisest decision of her life and asked Tsunade to take her in, making her the warrior-medic she was today.

First Kakashi, then Tsunade, and now Hoshigaki Kisame.

_'How surreal__.'_

But perhaps, it only _seemed_ surreal because if anything, Sakura realized just how almost down-to-earth the supposed legendary man was. Besides, what notorious swordsman of the Mist begged for soap? Or which most-wanted-half-shark-man had a secret soft spot for dango? Once again, Sakura found herself chuckling as she dumped the ground-up contents of the marble bowl into a boiling pot.

This whole situation with Kisame really was nothing like she imagined it to be, but it was becoming more and more normal- and dare she say that her and the man were almost on friendly terms now.

"Huh. Friends," she said out loud, as if testing the word to see if it fit.

At that moment she noticed Kisame had come out of the bathroom, a steamy cloud billowing out through the open door, enveloping the man who only had a towel wrapped around his hips. Sakura dropped her head immediately, quickly chopping up a ginger root, needing the distraction.

"Thanks. _Sakura_," Kisame drawled in forced emphasis, waving the bottle of body wash at her as she peered up at him.

"Yeah, yeah, don't wear it out- my name that is."

"Hm. Alright then, _kunoichi_."

Somehow, as used to the whole "kunoichi" thing she was by now, another part of her kind of liked the sound of her name being spoken by him. It sounded more meaningful when he said it, and quickly after, Sakura shook her head at such a stupid thought.

"Anyway- _hey_ put some pants on!" she said, noticing the man had sat down onto the couch in just his towel.

"I will when they finish drying out," he replied, pointing to his soaked pants which were currently draped over the radiator.

Sakura was going to say something in protest, but then decided not to after realizing he really did only have the one pair, and that he at least had the decency to wash them. And perhaps having Kisame lounge around in just a towel could end up working out in her favor somehow- minus the fact that his abs were proving to be quite the eye-candy at the moment. Once again, Sakura turned back towards the kitchen counter and resumed chopping the remainder of the ingredients, ignoring the man seated on the sofa behind her.

"So I guess we're having instant ramen again," she said, unsure of where else to steer the conversation.

"Oh? I don't know, your lizard stew is smelling mighty appetizing, if you ask me."

Kisame watched the girl working diligently, her hair pulled up in a ponytail as she snorted and made a dismissive gesture towards him. For some odd reason, he found he liked when Sakura pulled her hair up. Deciding not to think about that anymore, he searched around for the map back in his coat pocket and began scanning it. As _extremely_ interesting as the topography of Jiro Island was, his eyes flicked up every once in a while to watch how the kunoichi's shorts-clad legs crossed as she stood, or how the curve of her neck elongated as she turned her head to the side, looking for another ingredient to add to the pot.

The map in Kisame's lap was receiving less and less of his attention as his gaze lingered incrementally longer on Sakura's unsuspecting form, and he realized just why he was acting so weird- it was because she was acting so _normal_ in his presence, that it was strangely disconcerting. He was not a man who was used to people being so at ease around him, and before he began to question if he had lost his badass vibe, he realized that wasn't the case, considering even the rough crowds in this particular village parted to let him through. No, he still had "it", but was perhaps getting soft where pink-haired kunoichis were concerned.

"Kisame, why don't you stop staring, and make yourself useful," Sakura said, interrupting his thoughts, her back still turned to him as she worked away.

Taken aback at the comment, Kisame took a moment before being able to form a sentence.

"_What_?"

"I know I'm immensely interesting and all, but you should come here and help me grind up this sage."

"I wasn't staring."

"Then why are you so hung up about it?" she said, turning her head towards him and grinning slyly.

Kisame's brow furrowed. He did not like being backed into corners- especially not by little ninja girls who didn't know what kind of foes they were messing with.

"Wow, I was only joking, but boy does your face ever confirm the truth," she continued, followed by a light chuckle.

His eyes squinted at the coy little minx, and wordlessly he accepted the challenge.

_'Two could play this game, kunoichi__, and this time you'll lose.'_

Kisame walked over unaffected by Sakura's remarks, and noticed the bundle of sage was over to her right. With a smug smirk of his own, he sauntered towards the girl, making sure to have every upper-body muscle unabashedly on display for what was soon to be a very regretful Sakura. He walked up to the counter where she stood, making her jump in shock when she felt the skin of Kisame's arms press against hers as he stood _right_ next to her. Flush. Skin-to-skin. Turning towards him in surprise, her nose touched his chest as he reached one still-damp arm over to her right to grab the bundle of herbs. The familiar scent of her body wash coupled with his own personal smell was nearly intoxicating as it hit her full-force. The proximity, body heat, wetness, scent and not to mention hard, defined muscle, proved to be a bit much for Sakura as she quickly stumbled over a few paces to distance herself from the bold man. As she stood with her arms on the counter, trying not to look at him for fear of losing her composure, he spoke.

"Smells _good_," Kisame said a bit too suggestively for her liking, and in an instant, the girl's face heated up as a dreaded blush rose on her face at his comment.

Completely mortified, she turned over to Kisame preparing to snap at him, but noticed he was inhaling the _sage_, while simultaneously pinning her with a sly gaze at his sneaky victory.

"Ugh," Sakura scoffed, not knowing who she wanted to punch more- him or herself.

_'Can't believe he got me that easily,'_ she cursed, unhappy that a man like Kisame could cause her to act like such a schoolgirl when she had vowed to abandon such pointless qualities long ago. She shook her head, unimpressed by his underhanded 'win' and snatched the herbs from the man. She made a mental reminder never to ask a shirtless weasel like Kisame to help out in the kitchen, and then continued on in her work.

"What is it? I thought you needed my assistance?" he asked as if genuinely concerned.

"Changed my mind; after all, I just realized that fish and kitchens only mix in one way. So go do something else before you end up being dinner."

"Heh. I know, you just can't resist wanting to eat me up."

Sakura ignored the flex of a nearly-distracting pectoral muscle, and continued.

"Mm, indeed, because as a connoisseur of animal parts, I'll have you know shark-fin is quite a find to stumble upon, so you better watch your back, _gills_," she threatened, pointing an ambiguous-looking animal part at him.

"Hmph," Kisame just grunted, secretly amused by the girl's ability to get to him like this. Never would he have imagined being this- _enticed_- by a mere slip of a girl waving what looked like a dried leg of sorts at him menacingly, but he was. Life certainly tossed him a curveball with Sakura- that was for sure.

"Anyways, hurry up with that; I wanna start training before sunset," he said, padding back towards the radiator and shutting himself in the bathroom once again.

Sakura just rolled her eyes at the man and his tactics, but then silently praised herself for getting him again. She brought the bundle of sage up to her nose and inhaled.

"Mm, yeah smells good," she whispered with a faint smile, her eyes lingering on the closed bathroom door.

**.-.-.-.**

_Day 20 - Port Village in Tea Country_

Days passed in succession as Sakura and Kisame awoke early every morning to train, break midday, and then train once more in the evening until darkness enveloped the landscape bringing with it a welcome drop in temperature.

Presently, the duo occupied a secluded field away from the village which became the most frequented training grounds, mainly because of the sheer amount of space and intact trees which Sakura had yet to shatter. Kisame observed the girl as he crouched hidden in one of these unbroken trees, waiting for her to make a move. She had gotten markedly stronger- even having beaten him twice during their spars- regardless of the fact that Kisame would never wholly credit her with the victories. This time though, it was impossible to best him, because he had used _that_ technique- Kirigakure no Jutsu- the one which covered the entirety of an area in chakra-induced mist.

Kisame grinned; the amount of mist created depended on the amount of chakra the user had to spare, and in his case, it was pretty much endless. Instead of focusing on expanding the mist, the man decided to concentrate it into a thicker, more impenetrable mass in a smaller area, nearly forming a cloud which was presently impossible to see through. The Hidden Mist technique was designed for enemies to be unable to detect the user's chakra- because the mist shared the same chakra signature as the user- rendering sensory techniques and most eye techniques useless. And this is precisely why Kisame trained Sakura with this particular jutsu for the past week- because it was a perfect counter to the sharingan.

That was not to say that Sakura had such a bloodline limit, but rather, in their future fight against Madara, Kisame would have to use the technique which meant that Sakura in turn had to learn how to navigate through the mist and be able to locate both Kisame and the Uchiha mastermind in it.

The shark-nin grinned wide, watching from his vantage point as the kunoichi tried desperately hard to pinpoint his location in the trees a good ten meters away. He could see her just fine, but she was nearly blind in the enshrouding mist, and was lucky she conditioned herself to just be able to breathe normally in the stuff a few days ago. This time, something told him Sakura had something up her sleeve, because her usual determined face looked deceptively serene- one of the unique quirks he picked up on during their training which he deemed was indicative of a bluff. He waited.

In a flash, Kisame picked up a tiny hint of coppery blood, and before he had a chance to react, Sakura had vanished and a familiar poof of air resounded in the damp mist. The man grinned even further upon realization.

_'Summoning, are we?'_

Interesting, he thought, as his eyes roved the area in search of the crafty girl. She had used a summoning technique, but had never even mentioned that she knew one before. So, looks like she intended to use it as a trump card when she was stuck in a rut, Kisame mused, still searching for the girl. His eyes proved unsuccessful in locating her, so he switched to using his acute sense of smell, and upon doing so, was overwhelmed by Sakura's scent as it appeared to be...everywhere.

_'Everywhere?__'_

Sharpening his senses, he continued to scan the area for the source, but found once more, that it was scattered to multiple areas, yet he could still see nothing. He felt a slight rush from both the surprise and challenge the girl just presented him with. Unfortunately for her though, she was not about to win while he was at such an advantage.

He heard the swoosh of air somewhere off to the far left, and quickly followed the sound, his sword in hand. As he touched down onto the ground from the tree he previously was on, small slugs crept up from out of the soil and upwards, rapidly covering his legs and making their way further up towards his face. He tried to move, but the sheer weight and some other slimy substance caused any movement to be nearly futile, and right before the slugs made it to his hands, he formed a sequence of hand signals, preparing to launch a tidal wave out. The wave managed to wash away a majority of the slug summons, but in dismay, Kisame realized Samehada was now gone too. Diving underwater, the man swam with incredible speed, trying to locate his sword and cursing his carelessness at falling into such a trap.

The slugs- he quickly realized- somehow had the same chakra as Sakura did, and he could still not figure out where she was because her summons were all over the place, preventing him from finding the girl.

_'Shit,'_ he cursed, closing his eyes in concentration as he felt a faint, familiar pulse come from somewhere nearby, indicating that Samehada was there. Kisame dove deep under the lake he created, resisting the urge to summon his own sharks, considering they would just kill off Sakura's slugs- and that was not the purpose of their training sessions. Despite the fact that he found himself restraining his power less and less with the kunoichi as she improved, he still couldn't go all out with her yet.

As he swam closer towards his target, a burst of extreme pressure hit him from above, causing Kisame to leap up and out of the water as he noticed Sakura do the same after having punched a massive crater into the water.

"Impressive," he breathed out in response, dodging another powerful punch from the girl as they skidded around on the water's tumultuous surface. The mist jutsu was still active, but somehow, Sakura seemed to be able to see the shark-man, which further added to his frustration.

"You don't have time to talk," Sakura ground out breathlessly, as another chakra-laced fist whizzed past his head. Both of them forcefully went against their instincts to follow their usual movements in taijutsu, because after so many training sessions, they figured each other's fighting patterns out.

"I told you not to always depend on your left hook," Kisame shot out as Sakura followed the move with a kick.

"Maybe you should trust me for once, _sensei_."

And with that, Sakura managed to leap up from behind and high-jump-kick the man down into the now-receding water in the distance- a clone, he quickly noticed. Before Kisame even landed, the real Sakura was once again heading towards him, likely preparing to land the final blow as the slugs re-emerged again, creeping up on his body and rendering him immobile.

The shark-nin quickly launched another humungous wave directly in Sakura's oncoming path, and then nearly breathed in relief that she had been foolish enough not to dodge it. But before he had a chance to let out that breath, he was shocked to see Sakura's blazing green arm rip through the immense amount of water and with a warrior's yell, the green dimmed and her fist connected with his face.

Game over.

Skin collided with skin emitting a dull, squelching sound and then there was the subsequent thud of two bodies hitting the wet ground.

One immensely pride-wounded man lay covered in slugs and water on muddy grass while a kunoichi was bent over on her knees nearby, coughing out inhaled water from both the tidal wave and the ever-present, but steadily receding mist.

"Ha... what...what was that about my...my left hook?" she breathed out, not letting the moment of juicy victory go to waste despite the suffocating feeling she was currently fighting.

"You did not make any mention of your little slug friends, kunoichi," Kisame said sternly, feeling the oncoming swell of tissue on the left side of his jaw. Always the goddamn _left_ side.

"Heh... but Kagyuu is a handy little friend to have, am I right?" she said, regaining her ability to speak normally. With a release hand-sign, the slugs covering Kisame's body and the rest of the training grounds disappeared with a poof.

"Hngh," he grunted, just taking the moment to bask in the warm light of the afternoon as it filtered in through the nearly-gone mist.

"So, that makes it _three_ wins for me," Sakura sighed out happily, plopping down onto the ground as well with a squelching sound. By now the mud didn't faze her anymore, having gotten used to Kisame's wet training for the past weeks.

"Not really," he countered, "The first two didn't count as I keep telling you, and this one doesn't either because you failed to tell me about your summon."

"Oh _shut up_," Sakura said, slapping a muddy hand to Kisame's forehead protector.

He remained unmoving and unblinking.

"Real mature of you, kunoichi."

"You too, sore loser."

With a sigh, the man sat up, his arms draped over his raised knees as he watched the rest of the water recede down in to the soil- a meadow-turned-marsh in record time.

"I will admit, your performance was somewhat impressive, but you also caught me completely off guard. And if I may add, this wasn't supposed to be an actual match anyway."

"Yeah, yeah. Doesn't change the fact that you did nothing to stop the fight, and I still _won_."

"Well, what do you want, an award?" he said sarcastically.

"Actually, _yes_."

"Great," he scoffed, rubbing his reddening jaw.

"Ouch. That must hurt- getting hit in the same spot _three times_ by my _left hook_, right Kisame?"

"You're just lucky I refrain from using _my_ summons on you, kunoichi," he grinned, finally getting up.

"Whatever, I'd make shark-fin soup out of them too."

"Unlikely," Kisame muttered, leaping off in search of something. He returned moments later, even more displeased as a very self-satisfied Sakura remained sitting, awaiting his return.

"Found it?"

"Found _her_. And next time, pulling such a stunt with my sword will not get you off the hook so easily, pink."

Sakura just tipped her head back in laughter as Kisame flicked chunks of mud off of Samehada. The pink-haired girl felt only _slightly_ guilty at having had her summoned slug Kagyuu split off and bury it underground, but she didn't know how else to separate Kisame from the sword. Samehada was now completely filthy, and its wielder was likely not too thrilled about the extensive cleaning job she just provided him with.

"Well, I'm starving, and as my reward for having beaten your ass down into-"

One seemingly angry sentient sword was now pointed at the gloating girl in warning, and she batted it away and rephrased, ignoring the grin shining on Kisame's face.

"Anyway, you're treating me to lunch. Oh, and a _nice_ lunch- no ramen, no cheap stuff."

"Don't push your luck."

"How's that pushing my luck? If anything, you should be relieved I'm a humble person, and that I'm not requesting anything extravagant."

"Heh, you, humble. Anyway, I'm only doing this because I choose to, and not because I'm acknowledging that you actually bested me."

With her arm propped on her hip, Sakura just brushed him off, not bothering to continue the "argument" any longer, because she knew the truth. Behind the injured pride and disappointment at his loss, she saw the hint of appraisal in Kisame's eyes. After all, was this not the purpose of all their work? She had gotten stronger, and it was only because of the shark-man's training. Sakura smiled a little, and brushed a hand through her mud-stained locks as they continued off towards their motel room to clean up.

**.-.-.-.**

"That was not what I had in mind, but I guess it's about as good as it's gonna get in this shady town," Sakura said, only half-disappointed that there were no actual nice places to eat in the village.

Having finished their Kisame-sponsored lunch, both partners left the small restaurant they just ate in and headed off towards the outskirts of the village.

"I thought it was fine," Kisame said with a shrug.

"Not surprised."

"By the way, looks like you forgot your own advice concerning words of courtesy."

Sakura chuckled.

"Thanks for lunch, shark-sensei."

"I told you not to call me that, lest you want a repeat of me calling you billboard-brow."

She paid him no mind as they continued on through the crowds at a leisurely pace, almost forgetting why they were there in the first place. For Sakura, it was becoming more and more difficult not to regard the man- her partner- as a friend. Having spent nearly a month with Kisame so far, she found herself actually enjoying his company. He was undeniably sarcastic and often a bore, but he would never deny her conversation- whatever it was. Surprisingly, he was also pretty knowledgeable, and sometimes told her about the world- about the different countries and their customs or politics. Alas, despite how much he had opened up, Kisame never again spoke of Akatsuki, nor of the Mist, and especially never about the time when they were mutual captives of Kabuto's.

And somehow, it was okay, because they always had something to discuss in lieu. Now the pair fell into amicable silence, treading across the gravel leading out of the main street, and off into the grassy hills on the outskirts.

"I think we'll be ready to face Madara in a couple of days," Kisame said, his voice jarringly loud in the comforting silence.

Sakura hadn't been expecting such a remark, and was taken aback by the seriousness and the harsh dose of reality it provided. Sometimes it really _was_ too easy to forget what lay ahead.

"You think so? So you think I'm ready?" she inquired, voice mingling with the drone of cicadas.

"You will be after I'm done with you in the next few days."

"I don't like the sounds of that."

"Heh," Kisame smirked, and looked like he was about to say something further, but then changed his mind.

Both shinobi spent the remainder of the time silently thinking of the upcoming battle and what would be in store for them. As they walked up the familiar hill to the other training ground they used, their thoughts stopped, focusing instead on the next round of sparring.

"Let's wait a bit before starting, Kisame," Sakura said, and sat down in the short grass, allowing her full stomach to settle first before doing any more strenuous fighting. The man nodded and joined her, un-strapping his newly-bandaged sword and setting it down on the ground next to him. The mornings were always focused mainly on ninjutsu training, whereas the evenings were better suited for taijutsu. They had eaten lunch late, and it was already four in the afternoon, but still relatively early for their training session.

"Do you think Konoha found out that I'm missing yet?" Sakura blurted out loud, looking out towards the tree line.

"I don't know."

"I just hope my friends aren't worried- or worse- out there somewhere searching for me."

Kisame said nothing, eyes turned in some vague direction ahead.

"Hey Kisame, do you have any friends at all?"

"No."

"Not even Konan?"

He just shrugged, clearly disinterested in the conversation, and maybe even a bit uncomfortable. Sakura felt a pang of sadness for the man, in realization that despite her wrongdoings, she'd always have friends to lean on, to look for her if she became lost.

"Well, maybe I can be your first friend."

Stunned at the girl's words, Kisame turned to look at her profile, noticing the tiny hint of pink which briefly tinted her turned face, and then was gone. Her open-hearted honesty caused something in him to twist uncomfortably.

"I don't need friends," he quickly shot, purposely killing the moment because it was just becoming too strange for him. Sakura would get mad as was customary, and he would feel more at ease because mad he could handle, but _this_ he could not.

He waited for the angry retort at his rudeness, but none came as only the sound of shifting fabric was heard in the still air between them. If he had looked at the girl next to him, he would have seen a tiny pang of hurt expressed in her eyes, only to vanish instantly.

And she _was_ hurt at such rejection, but what did she expect?

"I suggest we get on with our training," Sakura just said firmly, hoping instead to move on from the loaded moment and release the terrible feeling somehow. Her request came out sounding less casual than she wanted.

"Good idea," Kisame said in response, and was glad that Sakura had taken such quick initiative into safe territory.

Both shinobi got into position meters away from one another, battle-ready facades on each of their faces. No challenging smirks, no sly grins, and no words of provocation, as both just focused on the physical win for once. To overpower the other was the goal- to get it over with so they could get on with the usual unbroken routine.

Shrugging off his coat, Kisame made the first move, leaping up towards the kunoichi ahead of him. He expected the usual dodge, but instead, Sakura stood her ground, ready to return his hit. Without the restraint he usually held, Kisame spun and punched towards the girl's gut, and her palm caught his fist, attempting to push it aside. Chakra flared from each shinobi almost angrily as something primal flowed from them while they fought each other- almost as if for the first time. Sakura's previous steely expression was slowly losing form as she lost more and more control. Each punch or kick was coupled with an untamed yell, her face scrunching up in what almost looked like pain.

Kisame hated every second of it; this was anything but a physical fight. With his own anger and frustration rising at the situation, he let loose further, and continued his assault. The muscles under his sleeveless black shirt were threatening to rip the material from the force of exertion and he found himself breathing harder and harder as he abandoned his previous method of meticulous chakra control.

And apparently Sakura did too; her dive-kicks creating deep trenches in the grassy ground as she pursued Kisame relentlessly. Exhaustion would take her quickly at this rate, but neither cared now, only focusing on the end result- the win. Kisame flipped in the air after Sakura attempted a potentially fatal uppercut on him and he managed to use girl's fury to his advantage, launching his own sweeping kick towards her in mid-air.

Sakura dove to the side in a last desperate attempt to evade the man, but it was too late. Before she knew it, her back met with the hard ground as Kisame's body crashed into hers, pinning her down from the force. Sakura didn't even have time to address how much her back hurt from the harsh landing, because his face was now hovering dangerously close to hers, their breaths puffing into one another as they panted from the action-packed fight.

Kisame was entranced. The burning adrenalin coursing through his veins seemed to have frozen in place as he gazed down into Sakura's wide, blazing green eyes. Familiar. Eerily familiar. Her hair sprawled out around her head tangling with the grass, exposed her face even more, and he took it all in, as if it wasn't real. As if there weren't going to be any consequences later on. He looked down to her lips, slightly parted as she inhaled and exhaled, probably from nervousness now, but Kisame still didn't care. His intense gaze now focused on those parted lips and especially at the blood streaking down from the bottom one- likely a result of one of his harsh hits. The stirring in his gut at the image made him extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden, and then he realized why.

Like before- like the time back in Mist.

_'Kaori,'_ he echoed in the confines of his mind.

The wide eyes, sprawled out hair, blood trailing from her mouth- all like the girl he had once killed for the purpose of his village.

A girl who once wanted to befriend a man who only had enemies.

Every instinct told him to back off and stop thinking of such things, but Sakura's eyes captivated him and he found himself itching to close them- just like back then.

Except Sakura wasn't dead, nor were her eyes filled with the shock and betrayal like he remembered in Kaori's. Kisame's gaze lingered on that crack in her lip and the red stain which marred it, and without thinking, he brought the back of his hand up and slowly brushed away the blood trailing down towards her chin. He felt the air on his skin shift as the girl inhaled sharply in surprise, and instantly, the moment was gone.

Pushing on his left arm, he sprang back and away from Sakura, finally re-establishing a comfortable distance once again, and then he waited.

He waited for the customary "what the hells" and various Sakura-esque tirades to begin, but the air around them remained silent. For the first time, Kisame hoped she would yell at him, or bitch or complain or _something_, but alas she didn't. He looked over at her as she now slowly sat up, one hand brought up to her lip, resting there. Her eyes met his and he forced himself not to avoid her gaze as he innately wanted to, because that would only indicate that something had just happened between them, and really, it _hadn't_.

Kisame ran his hand through his hair almost as if trying to remove the memory of touching her just seconds ago.

"The blood- it was- I didn't mean to bust your lip like that," he said as casually as possible, kicking himself for how awkward he sounded instead.

Sakura just blinked, and quickly fisted her hands in her lap.

"Oh...it's nothing," she said, gulping down the accumulation of thick saliva in her throat.

The shark-man just nodded lightly and made a barely audible grunt, glad that the moment had passed. Now he was going to go sit far, far, away and spend hours tending to Samehada because that was the logical thing to do in the wake of such an event.

"Kisame..."

_'Shit.'_

His back was towards her, but he turned his head slightly, waiting.

"Nevermind," she said after a moment, and he was impossibly glad.

_Impossibly and utterly glad_ that she didn't say what he knew she was going to say. Probably something about him having done much worse than giving her a bloody lip in their previous training sessions, and why he decided to apologize about such a small thing now.

Kisame was also impossibly glad because he would have to lie, and he really _did_ suck at it.

Sakura remained sitting as she watched the man walk off into the distance, away from the questions that lay unvoiced and consequently unanswered.

But the Mist-nin didn't want to deal with it because tonight he would dream of wide, questioning eyes and bloody lips. He would dream of hair spread out on grass, and briefly, he wondered what symbol would grace the metal of the hitae-ate holding the hair in place: Leaf or Mist?

Pink or blonde? Alive or dead? The present or the past?

Too many questions. And why did they even matter? He walked on blindly, just needing to be far away from one trifling kunoichi. But after a while- after her scent continued to remain almost unbearably near him- he stopped and turned around. But she wasn't there. Bracing his hand against a tree, his eyes caught the sight of dried blood which remained smeared across the blue skin, and he let the scent permeate his senses, twisting his core even further.

Kisame stood by the tree moments longer, calming himself and trying to regain his sanity once more. After a good chunk of it returned, he realized Samehada was back where he had just left Sakura and he inwardly kicked himself for such a stupid mistake. For all the stupid mistakes he'd made. Grudgingly, he retraced his steps back towards the girl, dreading the confrontation after such a weird exchange, even though in the end it was inevitable. Alas, when he returned, no pink interrupted the steady green hue of the landscape, as it seemed she had already left. Both Samehada and his coat remained where he left them on the grass and Kisame walked towards his belongings, treading past the heavily torn-up crevices in the ground. With his items in tow, he stood, searching the air for Sakura's presence. Sighing, he realized she had wandered off in the opposite direction of the village and instinct pushed him to follow her.

But he was not that foolish.

Stilling the twitch in his feet, Kisame turned the other way, each step distancing himself further away from the girl whose blood continued to stain his skin.

* * *

**A/N**: Hello my darlings... hopefully this chapter was an adequate addition, as I had a really good time writing it. So, what do you think about Sakura's summons? The slug named Kagyuu (a name I found in a Japanese translator, so someone let me know if it means something really weird). Anyway, I thought the slugs would be passed down to Sakura since Tsunade also used Katsuyu as her summon, so it only made sense for me.

Also, yay drama? If anyone's confused about who Kaori is, re-read the beginning of chap. 17 (the part taken from the actual manga). I thought the comparison to Sakura really works well integrated into this story.

Also, can you believe this is an M-rated fic, 23-chapters into it and still NO SEX! Not even a kiss? Haha, how cruel am I? Don't worry though, Kisame and Sakura are the eventual pairing here, no matter how drawn out this fic may get.

Thanks to my usual reviewers and a special thanks to Mikitsu Silverquick for taking the time to review so many chapters at once! Love you all foreverrrr~


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N**: _WARNING_: Graphic and disturbing violence in this chapter. Don't read if you are easily disturbed by such things. You have been warned!

* * *

The gurgling wail of a newborn resounded in the clinical white room of a hospital amidst the shuffling of hurried footsteps and the sharp beeping from a heart monitor.

A steady, flat-lined beeping.

"Sir, it's hopeless."

Bloodied white latex gloves hesitantly released their hold on a stiff body and were thrown up in the air in defeat as the uninterrupted beep continued to provide a dark melody to the entire scenario.

And so it was, the first sound that one newborn baby boy heard was the sound of his own mother's death.

Born nearly twice as large as the average child, he had been different from the very beginning. With the mother's death and father's absence, the future for the unnamed boy was clear in the hidden village of Mist: he was to become a ruthless ninja of the state. After all, parentless children lacked the love and care of family, thus it was easier for them to abandon emotion and become the perfect killing machines.

Taking one last thing from his deceased mother, the baby boy was simply named "Hoshigaki" after her maiden name, and then quickly taken in by Kirigakure's military. The boy grew along with other parentless children and learned quickly of the nature of his relationship to the others; they were not family, nor friends, but rather hurdles to surpass in skill and knowledge.

Raised by steely, unforgiving men, he learned to fight, showing promise as soon as he could wield a weapon. Trained to discard emotion, he fought valiantly for the only caretakers he ever knew, and by the age of five, Hoshigaki made his first kill.

Standing a head above all of the children in his age group, it was no contest that the boy would emerge victor in the bloody duels which Mist became infamous for. The duels were merciless; young children fighting with real swords, kunai, and fists in order to best their opponent, either by wounding them enough so they forfeit, or even killing them. And these deaths occurred every once in a while, particularly amongst the weak-willed. Such things were kept under wraps for the most part, and dubbed as accidents, but for the orphaned shinobi children of Mist, there was the least concern.

Such was the case for the five-year old Hoshigaki as he stood with a bloody katana over the body of one of his classmates- one of the hurdles. Wounded children lay strewn about the straw mats of the dojo as their sensei sat calmly observing the one student responsible for the carnage. That sole standing child looked over to his sensei for approval, but was only met with the permanent stony frown and usual scolding.

"Hoshigaki, do not smile upon victory. You have bested your opponent, but this was a weak child, and you did not make a clean cut as you had been told. He was only killed because he was weak, not because you were strong."

Despite the lack of approval he received, word of the young prodigy travelled fast throughout the village, and it wasn't long before Hoshigaki's master was approached by the Mizukage's advisors.

Hushed words were exchanged, and soon after, the blank-faced young man was taken from his master and the other orphans to a fate unknown to him. The advisors took him to a doctor where he was examined and poked and prodded, as he barely batted an eyelash, allowing whatever to be done to his person like a living ragdoll. His mind only thought of the bloody training mats, of memorized anatomy charts and vital spots, of how he hated the buzzing feeling in his hand when his blade struck bone. He always received lashings for not being strong enough to slice cleanly through a leg or an arm, so he had to focus on becoming stronger and please his master. He had to train, and this idle sitting and examination was just a waste of time.

"He can endure it because of his chakra. We can make him like Suikazan. Surely it will be an asset to our military strength."

Hoshigaki heard these words spoken around him by these various doctors, but his five-year-old mind did not comprehend them, so he ignored it all. He ignored it until his body was strapped to a hard bed, and looking up at a sinister grin hovering over him he heard the last words before he died.

"You're a lucky young man."

-.-

He dreamt of the things he knew. Blood, swords, fists. Eating rice with his bare hands every day. The feel of sensei's hand striking his face. The sting in his eyes as a result- the forbidden sting, which led to tears which were absolutely _not_ allowed lest it cost him a days' worth of food. And that was all he knew. Fight and get to eat. Blood and rice.

Survival.

When Hoshigaki began to hear things which did not come from his own mind, he realized he had stopped dreaming. Unfortunately, everything was black, and he could not move, but somehow he could smell some really strange things. Was this what it was like to die? Was this what happened to those who were weak?

Days passed as he continued to study the strange smells in the darkness which overwhelmed him. Some were crisp, some were sweaty, and some smelled like the strong liquid which stung when it was rubbed in his fresh wounds. He really hated that stuff, but he could never tell anybody because that was a sign of weakness and it was forbidden.

One day he awoke to a light behind his eyelids, and experimentally, he opened them. The doctor with the ugly teeth hovered above him once more, unravelling bandages. Quickly, the boy realized the bandages covered _him_, and there were six other medics standing around, examining the freshly-unravelled parts; his face, his body.

The boy closed his eyes wishing to return to the black numbness once more, but that was not to be his fate. The men with their instruments completely unravelled him, stuck him with needles again, and spoke gleefully to one another, but all the boy could sense was the strong smell of the stinging liquid as it was applied to his body. It dawned on him that perhaps he was not dead but severely wounded, yet he felt no pain, nor did he remember becoming injured.

"At last."

"Indeed! After so many failures, it's encouraging to see a success."

"Finally. Mizukage will be pleased."

The words of the doctors echoed in his mind as one confused boy was led on shaky legs down a hallway and into a room full of men. One man sat in the middle, wearing a large hat, and the others on either side, flanking him as they drank something which smelled quite like that liquid he hated so much. He really could not escape it, it seemed.

The middle man grinned as his eyes fell on the boy, and he fought every urge not to look away.

_'Never look away from your opponent. Always face him. Show no __fear; no mercy.'_

Sensei's words came back to the young boy as he put on a blank, emotionless face like he was taught. All eyes were on him; the bitter scent of their drinks and sweat and grease wafting in his nose. The man in the middle let out a guttural laugh, and the boy wondered if this was god. Was he dead, and being judged by god?

"Looks like the funding I gave you lab-monkeys finally paid off. Look, Fuguki! Does he not resemble you now?"

A bizarre-looking overweight man huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms as the man at the head addressed him.

"Let's just hope he doesn't turn out as fat as you," another man said and everyone broke out into laughter.

"Well, either way, now he'll be a strong candidate for the Seven Swordsmen," someone else muttered, eyeing Hoshigaki down.

The confused boy did not understand anything, now feeling a strange pulse coming from something strapped onto the Fuguki man's back. It was beckoning to him, but he couldn't see it because another man was blocking his view. Either way, he wanted to leave this place, to return to the dojo and train like he did before. All he wanted was the comfort of normalcy- of what he knew. He didn't want to be here with these strange people and he really didn't want to smell their weird smells any longer either.

Later, the young boy was shut into a room with a bowl of rice and a glass of water, with orders to rest. He was finally alone. It was dark, but light filtered in through a window as the boy sat on the small bed holding the glass of water in his still-bandaged hands. He peered into it just as he was about to take a sip, and was shocked at the image reflected in the moving liquid. Waiting for the water to still, he peered in once more, and observed. With one hand he held the glass, and with the other he traced the strange new markings on his face as he looked at his reflection. Except quickly, he realized they weren't just markings, as the shallow grooves indicated on either side of his cheekbones. _Gills_?

Bringing the glass up close to his face, the child realized the eyes reflected in the water were slanted and rimmed with black- _his_ eyes. His small irises were yellow and his skin was a dull-grey blue from what he could tell in the moonlight. The boy's expression remained blank as he continued to observe his new face in the now-shaky glass which his trembling hand gripped. He didn't need to un-bandage that hand to know it was blue underneath as well, and he didn't need to pinch himself to know he wasn't really dead.

His face remained perfectly blank and devoid of emotion as he peered into the depths of the water, even as something began to disturb its liquid surface. Drop after drop hit the contents of the glass, causing the alien face staring back at him to distort.

For the first and last time in his life, the five-year old boy cried.

**.-.-.-.**

By the time he was six, the reborn boy had surpassed every student in his class and every student in three age groups above him. With his chakra abundance, size, and skill with swords, he defeated everyone he fought. His one-hundredth fight ended up fatal for his opponent as he fell under him, and in doing so, Hoshigaki experienced yet another rebirth.

The duel was presided over by the top general of the Kirigakure shinobi army, and when it was over, he stood and acknowledged the victorious child.

"You have truly become a skilled warrior of this village, young man. Those who are weak and are killed so easily are a disease upon the strong shinobi of the Mist. His death should not hinder you, nor should you feel anything for his loss. Only feel pride this once, as hereby, I pronounce you Kisame, the monster shark of Mist."

_Hoshigaki Kisame._

As he was named, he felt nothing, just staring down at the beaten boy at his feet. The boy whose hair, brains and blood were still plastered on Kisame's blade as he had made the slice across his skull. It was the third time he had killed anyone in the bloody duels, and despite the fact that it was generally discouraged to actually kill, he could not help but feel that his sensei would have been proud of him. Finally he had cut straight through bone, finally he had a real name, finally he had reached his hundredth win.

_Finally_, he had accepted who he was, and looking down at his blue arm speckled with red, he forgot that it had ever looked any different.

Years passed under the tutelage of his newly-assigned master Fuguki Suikazan, as Kisame became stronger, and more skilled of a fighter. He overcame obstacle after obstacle as they presented themselves, doing the bidding of his village unquestionably. Nonetheless, sometimes as he lay awake in bed at night, Kisame would allow the trickle of a forbidden question to manifest itself in his mind: why was he doing all of this? What goal did he have? The first time, he brushed off the question as soon as he thought it because it was utterly absurd. He was a Mist shinobi, and he would serve his village with his life. That was his sole purpose and duty, and he had both sacrificed countless countrymen and his own body for this ultimate reason.

Yet, even in his twenty-fifth year under the service of the only home Kisame ever knew, this question of doubt posed itself time and time again. As was usual, he stopped the traitorous thought in its tracks, only for it to re-manifest itself soon after, when his long-time master Fuguki assigned him to the last Mist mission Kisame would ever go on.

"Defend the codes to the death. Protect your comrades but above all, don't let the enemy get their hands on the intel squad!"his master had ordered him.

Kisame understood fully what Fuguki meant- Mist above everything else. Business as usual.

And so it was. One after another his comrades fell under his katana after his team was ambushed by a group of Konoha ninja. The enemy leader Ibiki looked on at the carnage in shock that a Kiri nin would kill his own teammates, but the man could likely never grasp the bigger picture: it wasn't about the individual, it was about the _whole_.

After killing his countrymen for the sake of Kirigakure, Kisame had barely escaped capture and returned home- the sole survivor of the mission. Except something was not right. Somehow, the enemy had gotten their hands on the codes, despite his extreme measures, and quickly Kisame learnt of his master's deceit and how _he_ had in fact leaked secret intel to enemy villages. Feeling betrayed for the very first time, Kisame killed Fuguki and then took the sword which he had always felt a strange connection to- the one he was destined to have as a future Mist Swordsman. By killing Fuguki, the monster of the Mist severed all of the remaining ties he had to the place he called home and vowed to depart forever.

Then a sharingan in the darkness changed the next course of action he planned to take. More lies were uncovered as the Mizukage was revealed to be Madara, and with the new promise of truth and a place to go, Kisame made up his mind. As he left the village hidden in the Mist with his new leader Madara, he sliced through the border-guard shinobi which blocked his exit. As he unfeelingly butchered more of his comrades- _ex-_comrades- strange thoughts entered his head. Just like the shroud of mist was receding as he stepped further and further out of the village boundaries, the veil of mist in his mind also receded, revealing things which he had never before given any thought.

Things like why he hadn't done this sooner.

Things like why he had allowed himself to live one giant lie his entire life.

Things like why anyone bothered giving him his mother's maiden name if they never even gave her a proper grave.

Things like why after _years_ of conditioning to be an emotionless stone, he continued to feel.

He felt _happy_ when he won duels, when he killed an enemy.

_'Kisame, do not grin. Kisame, do not gloat. Kisame, do not taunt your opponent__,' _his former sensei always scolded him.

But the fact was that he was _pissed off_ when he had to act and conceal how he truly felt. He was pissed when he was whipped for his foolish mistakes. He was proud that he had survived the procedure which made him into who he was; proud that he could endure it while countless others could not. He hated everyone weaker than him. He despised that bloated puffer-fish Fuguki Suikazan. He was satisfied at said man's recent death. With a grin, Kisame stabbed through another Mist-nin. Yes, _satisfied_ and _glad_ that he had just killed his master and taken his sword; the sword he always secretly wanted in his possession.

Yet even after the delicious thrill of both killing those he no longer affiliated with and shedding the blank mask he had carried for years, another brief memory flickered in his mind: the hundredth win, the third kill, back at the orphan academy. The small boy who had looked so damn _scared_ as Kisame's katana swung at his head.

Weakness- it was disgusting.

The shark-nin leapt towards another border-guard.

The blonde girl Kaori he had killed earlier during his last mission- the only person to attempt friendliness with him. She was weak for trusting him.

The kids that called him a monster. Weak and _jealous_. Unworthy of the strength he had- of the terrifying name he carried. The name he was granted as a prize for his superior strength.

The sight of blue skin for the first time. The gaze of foreign eyes looking back at him through a watery mirror. Shaking, trembling. Weak. Pathetic.

The new feeling of moisture streaking down a four-year-old warrior's face. Salty drops in the water. Distorted. Ripples. Weak, weak, _weak_.

And just like the mist, the thoughts dissipated into the red haze of Kisame's blood-lusting mind as he sliced and shredded through the remaining guards vowing to forget it all. Everything: the village, the lies, his life, his supposed-comrades, everything and everyone.

Kisame sliced into one last border-guard with his newly acquired Samehada, and stepped onwards and out of the village which made him into a monster.

**.-.-.-.**

A frown marring his face, Kisame sat absently stroking Samehada's scales with a leather rag. The deep orange hues highlighting the purple scales were a result of the sunset gracing the sky, and distantly, he noted how long he had been here reminiscing about the past.

All the things he tried so hard to bury were resurfacing. He hated the Mist and the history he had there. He hated everything about it except how strong it had made him.

_'Strong?'_ Kisame said to himself bitterly.

Was he really so strong if he was still dwelling on things which he once vowed to forget forever?

Was he really that strong- having been caught like a bug in a spider's web by Kabuto or Madara or whoever the hell it was?

Was he strong after begging for his life to end like some snivelling weakling?

And was he really that _strong_, if he couldn't behave normally around a stupid little kunoichi who had nothing to do with his life?

Digging the tip of Samehada into the ground, he used it to stand up as he looked over to the sunset. With a frustrated sigh, he searched the air for a hint of the girl, and found none, deciding instead to head back to their inn. Despite how much he dreaded each step he took towards their mutual lodgings, Kisame still hoped to resolve whatever it was that happened between them. The fact was, as insignificant as Sakura may be, she affected him in some bizarre way. Perhaps he would find the proper words when he arrived there, or perhaps they could just fight it out and forget about the whole ordeal altogether.

Regardless, he needed to take his mind off of thinking about the past, and right now dealing with the kunoichi seemed more agreeable than mulling over his life in Kirigakure.

**.-.-.-.**

Sakura walked briskly through the tall grass beyond the training field she and Kisame had just fought in. Something told her she was lost, but at this point, she didn't really care. Kisame's weird mood-swings were making her more pissed by the minute, and their last "spar" did absolutely nothing to lessen any tension- in fact, it just made their entire situation worse.

"Stupid shark," she said out loud, shaking her head to herself as she continued through the grass off into some unknown direction.

"Stupid, stupid, shark and his stupid games," she heatedly whispered, remembering his strange behavior from earlier.

Frankly, the fact that he had rejected her offer of friendship wouldn't have affected her so much had they just sparred like usual and gotten it over with, but then Kisame had to get up in her face and then look at her like that, and then touch her lips...

Sakura stopped mid-walk and gulped, her fingertips tracing over the spot he had touched just minutes earlier. The throbbing of her swollen lip was forgotten as her pulse raced from a mixture of anger, confusion and embarrassment at the memory.

"What the hell!" she yelled, and then plopped down into the grass, to mope further.

What was his problem? Sakura could understand his wanting to keep her at a distance- because he was an emotionally-stunted half-shark man and all- but then every once in a while they would have their moments of amicable companionship as if they really were friends or comrades. These moments always left her feeling a strange longing afterwards, and perhaps it was because she missed her real friends back home, but really, she knew it was something else.

Kisame had grown on her. She would admit it. Stupid shark and all, he was still relatively fun to talk to, despite their countless arguments. They had their inside jokes which nobody else would ever know about, and their little games, and their bets, and pointless conversations about everything and nothing. They even had a history- small and short-lived as it was- but it was still _their_ shared time and it had to count for something. The time in captivity, their escape towards River Country, their meeting in Amegakure, and then the nearly-one-month's worth of time spent with the man in this town as they prepared for yet another place to add to their mutual journey log. They ate together, they shared lodgings, they trained, they talked, and in the end, he couldn't even acknowledge that they were friends?

Sakura's throat went dry as her brows contorted in sadness.

_'What am I to you, Kisame?'_ she asked herself.

Then she wondered why she even cared what the man thought of her. They were not making this difficult journey in order to become best buddies, but rather to destroy a mutual enemy. That had been the plan all along, and so why did she feel so disappointed about this trifling little thing?

_'Because I'm lonely,'_ Sakura admitted to herself.

And she was, yet again. The prospect of having somebody she could count on and talk to as a friend was something she would do anything for right now, especially since she was so far from home and her real friends. After her ordeal when Konoha didn't trust her, the word "friend" had gained a new meaning as one by one, people turned their backs on her, leaving only the few who remained- true friends.

With a small smile, Sakura watched the purple and orange sky ahead of her, remembering Ino, Naruto, Sai, Kakashi and the other few who continued to stick by her after everything. If only they were here, maybe she wouldn't feel so depressed about Kisame and whatever the hell his problem was.

A frown marred Sakura's face at the thought of the shark-man again, and she fidgeted with the buckles on her boot. The whole pinning-down scenario continued replaying itself in her mind as she tried not to blush at the memory of how close he had gotten to her. Never had she seen his face so up close before, nor his eyes so intensely focused on hers. Sakura had seen Kisame angry, annoyed, bored, teasing, questioning, almost everything but... _that_. It was a dark look, his yellowish irises looking at her so quizzically as if he was seeing something deep within her. In the shock of the moment, she observed him too; the black rims around his eyes, the gills on his cheekbones, the pores on his skin, the tips of sharp white teeth showing through his parted, panting lips. Then the way his rough, calloused finger trailed from her own lips down to her chin. With an involuntary shudder, Sakura gulped away the odd sensation at the memory, and stifled the urge to continue reliving it.

There was no use thinking about it, because it was unsettling, confusing, and also too embarrassing to ever confront Kisame about. As much as she wanted to vent her emotions out on the man, and question his strange behavior, Sakura wasn't sure if she wanted to know what the hell he was doing. The Kisame she knew from their time together was mainly rough and crass, not so- well, eerily gentle- as she had just experienced. Blinking away her frustration, Sakura got up just as the sun was about to sink into the horizon-line.

It was too depressing to watch the sunset all alone like this, she deemed, and hesitantly made her way back towards the motel. The best thing she could hope for right now, was that Kisame would completely ignore her and she could go to sleep without having to talk to him.

And knowing him, that's probably what would happen.

Taking her time retracing her steps, Sakura eventually found the town, and followed the streets towards the motel. Having grown used to her presence, most of the resident men didn't bother with any lewd advances, because on a couple of occasions she had made them regret ever doing so. Instead, they let her pass, some of the vendors even calling out to her offering deals on the herbs she was always buying. With a polite wave, Sakura declined and continued on her way, secretly hoping Kisame would be out drinking or something by the time she returned.

As she arrived at the door, she stood for a while with her forehead pressed against it both trying to stall the confrontation further, and trying to listen for his tell-tale snores or any signs of activity in general. Finding no indication of Kisame's presence inside, Sakura unlocked the door as silently as possible and entered.

One light was on by the kitchen, the silhouette of a man's shape cast against the window, clearly looking out into the darkening sky. Kisame was in his black pants and a t-shirt, looking like he had just showered, his hair still slightly damp. Sakura stood at the entrance for a few seconds longer, waiting for any eye-contact, but he remained unmoving, so she shut the door and made her way inside. The tension and stark silence was unbearable as even the sound of the kunoichi removing her boots was jarringly loud and she just wanted to get it over with. After taking her boots off, she quickly padded over to the bathroom and locked herself in.

_'Well, this isn't awkward at all!'_ Sakura inwardly commented as she pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. The beginnings of a headache were forming at her temples and she was quickly losing her cool composure about everything.

Disrobing, the girl got into the shower and washed the day away, hoping to ease some of the turmoil she felt at Kisame's behavior towards her. Perhaps she would yell at him or something to clear some tension, because there was no way they could just go to sleep like this and hope to be normal around each other the next day. After finishing her shower, Sakura dismayingly noticed she forgot to bring a change of clothes into the bathroom with her, and she had already washed her clothes from earlier in the shower so they were still soaking wet. Wrapping a towel around herself she took one big breath and without thinking, punched the wall next to her.

Shattered tile went crashing to the floor, even though she didn't put much force into the hit, but it was enough to make a really loud noise and leave a shallow, tile-less hole in the wall. With an agonized groan, the girl realized her foolishness, regretting the damaging act and how reckless she was being. Not caring about her state of undress, Sakura made sure the towel was wrapped securely around her and calmly opened the door, exiting the washroom and heading towards her bag- all the while completely ignoring her roommate.

"What the hell happened?"

"..."

"Kunoichi."

"..."

"_Sakura._"

"Nothing! And don't call me Sakura," she yelled, not looking at the man after having retrieved her bag, and shutting herself back inside the bathroom.

Completely confused by her anger, Kisame squinted his eyes and followed after her.

"Open the door."

No answer.

"Open the goddamn _door_, kunoichi, or I'm coming in."

"Oh, I _dare_ you," she threatened dangerously.

After a moment of silence on both sides, a loud splintering punch was heard as Kisame's fist drove through the wooden door alarmingly easily, and opened up the knob from the inside. Sakura stood backed against the tiled wall on the opposite side, still wrapped in her towel, mouth agape in shock.

Her face was flushed both from anger and the hot steam still lingering from her shower, as Kisame looked her over with his arms crossed.

"Are you _crazy_?"

"I said I'm coming in," he said calmly, still looking at her with his usual frown.

"Well get out! I'm not even dressed!"

"We're talking."

"Oh? About what?" she said incredulously.

Not knowing himself, Kisame was caught off guard by the blunt question and didn't know what to say. Eyes trailing to Sakura's hand, he spoke.

"Your hand is bleeding."

"Don't tell me you have a thing for my blood now, because being cooped up in the middle of nowhere with a moody vampire is the last thing I need."

Angered at the girl bringing up the earlier moment during their spar, Kisame scowled and tried extremely hard not to punch something else- their property damage bills were climbing as it was.

"Hey! The whole thing with- during the- I'm not _moody_," he growled out, not knowing what he was saying anymore.

"You suck at talking."

"Yeah well you suck at not damaging shit."

"Oh, that's rich," she retorted, motioning towards the broken door.

"You wouldn't open it, so I had no other choice."

"Kisame- what the hell are we doing," Sakura said with a frustrated sigh, lowering her tone slightly and clutching the towel against her chest with her bloody hand.

"We're talking."

"No- what is _this_? What are Haruno Sakura and Hoshigaki Kisame doing spending a month together in some shitty motel in some shitty town?"

Kisame looked down at the broken ceramic tile, wood and Sakura's blood littering the floor as he tried to comprehend the girl's obvious question and answer. He didn't have a chance to respond because she just continued.

"I mean, I ran off- away from my home, my friends- to go on a noble little adventure with a guy I don't even know! I know nothing about you! Only that up until yesterday, you were my enemy, one of the goddamn _Akatsuki_, for crying out loud. And what, now- you're training me so that we can go up against a guy who plans on controlling the entire planet with some unimaginable jutsu. And when I die- no, when _we _die- nobody will even know because everyone thinks I'm off doing some stupid spy mission in another town! I wish I could see the confusion on everyone's face when the hunter squad comes across my dead body lying somewhere next to yours after Madara is through-"

"We're not gonna die, dumbass," Kisame interrupted.

"Well, I'm glad this time around _I'm_ not the delusional one!"

Kisame sighed and rubbed his forehead. Sakura had a point- what the hell _were_ they doing together?

"Are you scared?"

Sakura stuttered, stiffening a bit at the question. She hadn't had time to think about just how she felt about the upcoming battle with Madara because she kept convincing herself everything would go smoothly.

"_Yes_. I _am_ scared, Kisame."

Kisame breathed in deep after the girl's solemn admission, noticing how vulnerable she was right now, turned away from him in shame. The slow creep of guilt began to spread through him as he realized the situation he put her in. Did she not want this? To kill Madara and get Sasuke back? Of course she wanted it, but she was also not stupid and understood the gravity of the enemy. It was a great possibility that they would in fact die, but they both had to stop Madara at any cost anyways.

"You're not my prisoner, kunoichi. You can choose to go back to Konoha and your friends, or to stay here with this stranger and risk your life."

Sakura choked out a sad laugh, looking at her bruised and bleeding knuckles.

"I can't go back."

"I know."

They caught each others gazes for a second, then both looked down at the debris on the wet bathroom floor, not knowing what to say or do next. Sakura spoke after a moment.

"Back at the field, when I-"

"It won't happen again," he quickly interjected.

"What won't?" Sakura yelled, her irritation returning, "What am I to you, Kisame?"

"We're allies. You said it yourself."

"What are you so afraid of? Why can't you just-"

Kisame sighed and turned around, brushing his hand through his hair like usual. He passed through the broken door and walked over to the couch and took a seat. Sakura brushed off any remaining feelings of modesty she felt and quickly donned a loose shirt and shorts from her bag, striding over to the man and sitting against the wall adjacent to the couch.

Kisame sat with his feet planted on the floor and his arms on his knees as he looked over to the girl who looked expectantly at him. She really wasn't going to let him go, it seemed.

"I'm staying here, Kisame, but I don't want to be just strangers any more. How can I go face such a serious enemy with a guy I have no proper connection with? If we're not even comrades, how can I be ready to help you out if I see you're in trouble, and vice versa?"

_'Never form bonds, never form friendships. You must be always at the ready to strike down any person who is a threat to the village, and this includes those you may call teammates or comrades. Bonds are weakness, and bonds stand in the__ way of a warrior's true strength and efficiency.'_

The past words of his former sensei rang in his ears after Sakura spoke. After becoming a missing-nin, Kisame had laughed at many of the things he had been taught, and easily rejected a lot of the philosophies and values implemented on him from Kirigakure, but somehow, the one about forming friendships with people had always stuck with him. It made sense, after all, and he had seen with his own eyes people failing in missions due to emotional connections with comrades. People had lost lives and villages had burned because of these personal bonds and Kisame was not about to let such a thing ruin his life.

_'And what life is that__?'_ he asked himself cynically.

Every connection or alliance he had had was dissolved except for probably Konan and one pink-haired girl staring up impatiently at him. He was free of any duty or obligation towards anybody, but he was left with _what_ in the end?

"I killed the last friend I had," Kisame finally blurted out, unfeeling mask of indifference plastered on his face. He could feel Sakura's eyes widen at his admission, but couldn't look her directly in the face.

"I- I see..."

"She was about your age then," he continued, waving a hand absently in Sakura's direction.

Silence enveloped them for a few minutes as both mulled over the information in their minds. Kisame was trying incredibly hard not to question his sanity over telling Sakura this, and so he focused his energy on trying to remain as aloof and unaffected as possible. Also, the worn tatami mat on the floor was starting to look mighty interesting all of a sudden.

"What was her name?" Sakura finally asked, clearly trying her best to walk on eggshells, he noticed.

"Kaori."

It was difficult to hear the name said out loud for the first time since the incident, and Kisame began seriously regretting this conversation. Another silence stretched on as Sakura likely painted a picture of the girl in her mind, and Kisame tried to erase the one in his. The unasked question hung in the air like a lead weight as he waited for it to be uttered in Sakura's gentle, quiet voice. Why did you do it? Why would you kill your own friend?

Why, why, why. In the end, it was all for nothing.

Nobody knew about this aspect of his past, as it only dwelled inside of him and the memory surfaced only when he was careless with the binds which kept it sealed within. Now it seemed Kisame was beyond carelessness; as if Sakura had opened his entire person up and was walking about in his memories freely, learning the dark things about him. It was new, and frankly frightening to feel so vulnerable for the shark man, but for some reason he did nothing to re-stitch his memories back inside of himself. It was like he was back on the operating table, and Sakura hovered above, exploring his body at her will, and he could not stop her. He secretly didn't want to.

He patiently waited for the inevitable question to be posed, and he nearly stopped breathing when he heard Sakura lick her lips as she was about to speak.

"Well, I'm not Kaori."

Taken aback, Kisame just turned to look at the girl in confusion. There was a look in those jade pools of her eyes that he could not discern, but he was mesmerized and could not look away. They were so honest and inviting, that Kisame wanted to remain transfixed on them for much longer. He had expected to feel the usual pang of guilt, or perhaps anger, or annoyance, but not this new strangeness. Sakura's gaze moved down to her still-unhealed hand and began picking at the torn, scabby skin.

Kisame continued to look at the girl as she fidgeted, distracted from his current thoughts. She was so strange. With one touch of her healing chakra, she could have mended her injury, but she chose not to.

_'Masochist,'_ Kisame said to himself and smirked.

"No, you are not Kaori," he repeated aloud.

Sakura looked back up at him after noticing the change in his tone, and smiled a little. He didn't need to say much more for her to understand. Really, she was foolish. She and Kisame had different ways of dealing with things that weren't necessarily normal. It seemed they could only resolve issues after a physical fight or after something got smashed or broken, and this was no different. Sakura didn't need for him to say it directly, but could tell what he implied by the little he did say. She was not merely a "business partner" in all of this, and she was foolish for not having seen it earlier.

She understood Kisame's guilt, and could hear it in his voice despite how much he tried to mask it. Sakura didn't need to know any details about anything to understand what happened. They were ninja after all, and the forging of "bonds" was a still hot debate in hidden villages everywhere. Even in Konoha, there were two opposing opinions- residing in the Root and ANBU sectors- on which route to take when training shinobi.

And the same guilt he spoke with tonight, she saw earlier in his eyes when she was pinned under his body and his gaze pierced hers. That pang of loneliness hit her once more, and Sakura stopped fussing with her hands.

Getting up from her spot, she stood and nodded towards something on Kisame.

"Need me to heal those?" Sakura asked, noticing several ragged scars on the back of his arms.

Kisame was about to mention something about her own injuries, but then realized even his were completely insignificant too. No, Sakura was asking for something else, so he just nodded at the girl, shifting his body to the side of the couch so she could sit behind him. Reaching his arms behind his head, he tugged his black t-shirt over his head, exposing his back and the other scars dotting it. None of them were even deep enough to be bothered with since his chakra usually took care of any serious injuries, but right now, he didn't want to decline Sakura's gesture. At the moment, he felt like he _did_ need this- whatever it was- and as Sakura's small hands ghosted over his skin, Kisame felt the remainder of his tension dissipate. This wasn't new- the girl would heal him every once in a while when their fights yielded some large injuries- but for some reason this time, Sakura's hands on his back felt decidedly more soothing than ever before.

Catharsis.

Kisame let his head drop a little, arms folded inwards as he just focused on the sensation of her warm, tingly chakra weave its way throughout the layers of his skin, through the threads of his muscles.

"You're still tense," she murmured.

The unexpected sound caught Kisame by surprise, and it was likely because she was so close, and he could feel her breath against his skin. Suddenly it was difficult to speak.

"Oh," was all he could manage.

Instead of asking anything further, the familiar scent of Sakura's chakra dissolved into the air and her hands began to press down hard into his deltoids, working their way inwards towards his trapezius muscles.

"Heh, looks like sharks get goose bumps too," she said light-heartedly as she worked away, her touch surprisingly firm yet still gentle.

Kisame didn't know what to say to that, feeling slightly uncomfortable at being read so openly by her. He just grunted and continued enjoying the unexpected massage.

"This isn't strange for you?" he asked after a moment.

"Why would it be?" Sakura wondered, her thumbs pressing in towards his spine and downwards. Kisame was finding speech difficult again.

"I don't know," he just responded, unsure in the first place why he asked such a thing.

"If you mean... you- your skin- no, it's not strange for me."

Kisame just gulped and looked down into his lap, then closed his eyes as Sakura reached the small of his back with her deft little fingers.

"You're surprisingly more human than I thought," she said, laughing a little at the end. Her hands were now on his deltoids again, fingers tracing the edges of the gills he had there as well.

"These... you use them to breathe underwater," she simply stated, softly tracing the edges.

"Yeah," Kisame said, lost in the pleasing sensation.

Sakura's touch was so explorative and innocent that he began to feel a heated urge manifest itself in his groin. Suddenly their proximity, the darkness of the room and her scent were becoming more and more apparent, and he needed to stop her, despite how sinfully good it felt to be touched in such a manner.

Before he had a chance to do anything, Sakura's hands left his arms, and he felt the weight of her body shift to the other end of the couch. He wanted to both sigh in relief and protest in despair at the loss of her sensuous touch, but decided it was ultimately for the best that it had ceased. Distracting himself, Kisame rolled his shoulder blades, and grinned, feeling significantly better than before as a result of Sakura working the kinks out of his muscles so well.

"Better?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

Sakura smiled in response, and hugged her knees as she sat.

"I wasn't always like this, you know."

"Hmm?"

"My appearance," Kisame said, "I was a lab rat at the age of four."

"Really?" Sakura said looking over to him in shock, "That's terrible for a child to go through."

Kisame paused for a second and then continued, "I don't regret it. It made me strong."

"Do you honestly believe that?"

The man turned to look at the girl sitting next to him, her eyes shining in the dim room.

"Of course, kunoichi, I _know_ it. I can use my water techniques more efficiently and wield Samehada because of who I am."

"I don't know. I think strength comes from something else."

"Oh yeah? And what's that, wiseass?"

"Geez, don't get all defensive, but I think it's about having something to fight for."

Kisame looked at Sakura in confusion, trying to read her thoughts.

"Like, your home, your family, friends..." she clarified.

"Hmph," he grunted, crossing his arms behind his head as he leaned back into the cushion, "if that were the case, then I'd be the weakest man alive."

Sakura laughed, then felt guilty. He really had nothing to fight for but himself.

"I'm sorry. I guess you're right. People get strength from different things, I suppose."

Silence stretched on for a bit longer and then Sakura spoke again.

"I wouldn't be this strong if it wasn't for the people I care about," she said softly.

"Sasuke," Kisame said, filling in the blanks.

She looked up at the side of the man's face then back to herself. His eyes looked distant, as if he were somewhere else. Sakura said nothing, her silence confirming the truth somewhat.

_'Not just Sasuke,' _she thought inwardly, but didn't feel like elaborating. After all, she was on a secret mission because of the guy in the first place, so it felt pointless to say otherwise.

"Well, I'm getting tired. We have to be up early tomorrow for training," Kisame said rising up and running a hand through his navy-blue hair.

Clumsily, Sakura unfolded her body and got up, slightly dismayed at the abrupt end to their pleasant conversation. She hadn't felt so at ease with the man since she met him, and she didn't want it to be over so quickly.

"Uh, you're right, I guess," she muttered awkwardly, as the man went off to retrieve his linens from their usual place on top of a dresser. Feeling oddly intrusive, Sakura went into the bathroom as Kisame prepared his sleeping area. She brushed her teeth and washed her face, exiting minutes later to find Kisame's feet and arm sticking out from either end of the couch.

It was a surprise that he could sleep at all on the small thing, but he never complained about it. Padding back towards her bed, Sakura tucked herself in and watched her companion's form for a while longer until she felt her eyelids grow heavy.

"Goodnight, Kisame," she muttered, not even sure if he had heard.

He had, but pretended to be asleep, instead listening to the girl's peaceful breaths as she fell into slumber. After everything that had happened over the day, he wondered if he would dream at all tonight.

He wondered about the things he had so candidly spoken to a girl who was becoming more and more difficult to brush off as a nobody. She slept so soundly just a few feet away, as if he were not the monster borne of the bloody Mist. She touched him gently and openly, as if he were a normal man, and even offered her friendship as if she wanted it- and she did, but why? The bit about strength echoed to him, after she told him about what made her a stronger fighter, and Kisame closed his eyes.

Perhaps she needed this bond with him so she could become a stronger fighter- so in the end she could save the one who mattered the most.

Not wanting to utter the name again, Kisame took one glance towards the occupied bed behind him, and closed his eyes, succumbing to whatever dreams would choose to haunt him this time.

* * *

**A/N**: I hope you guys liked the back-story I made up for Kisame and how he turned out to be who he is. It made me sad writing it, but I think that's the only way that fits. Also, Fuguki Suikazan was actually Kisame's master/superior in the manga, so I didn't make him up and I also took parts out of the manga to make it coincide with my parts. Thanks again for reading, and sorry for the wait! The fact is I have less and less time to write, so the next one probably won't be posted as regularly as before either, but by no means am I abandoning this fic, just so everyone knows :) Thanks to my new reviewers and readers, and as usual thanks to the few regulars. I love you all! Muah~


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Heeey everyone! Bet you all thought I was dead, but fear not, I'm alive and well and finally over the most _insane_ writer's block ever (a year? SORRYY!). Surprisingly I had a lot written, it's just I had a hard time connecting it all and making all the parts mesh with the plot and everything. Thankfully, I managed to figure something out in the end, so here's the latest chap!

* * *

"_Gai-sensei_?"

"Right, that was the idiot's name."

"Oh calm down, he's a great guy once you get past the flashy jumpsuit."

"...And that ridiculous bowl-cut."

"..."

"And the eyebrows."

And so the two sat at the furthest corner of a small bar, casually talking as if they weren't just about to head out to their final destination of Jiro Island. Whatever serious or morbid thoughts either Sakura or Kisame had about their upcoming battle dissipated as they joked around in the empty bar, exchanging various stories and experiences with one another. They had spent the remaining four days training nearly non-stop and going over every detail of their strategy to fight Madara with, and now they were all packed up and ready to go. Sakura had made one last batch of various soldier pills and they had left their little motel in the unnamed port town which they had spent the last month in. Having paid for their stay- and extra for damages, much to their mutual chagrin- they left, each feeling a slight heaviness of the heart as the door was closed- and it wasn't solely because of Madara.

Sakura chuckled a bit, listening on as Kisame told her about his unpleasant encounters with Konoha's most enthusiastic jounin, Maito Gai. It was a strange experience, having heard of Kisame for the first time from Ten-Ten's recollection of their fight, and now having him re-tell it from his perspective. Either way, Sakura was inwardly glad that her part-shark companion was no longer a member of the Akatsuki, otherwise the guilt associated with him nearly killing her friends would have been something she wouldn't have been able to overcome. And in turn, she wouldn't be sitting here with the man, and somehow, that thought saddened her. Quickly returning her attention back to their conversation, Sakura spoke, an index finger thoughtfully tapping against her chin.

"You know Kisame, both you and Gai have a lot in common."

"You better be joking, kunoichi."

"Seriously! You're both weird, old men with creepy grins... Oh, not to mention also a little dense at times..."

"Old? _Dense_?"

"All you need to do is strike the 'nice-guy pose' and you'll pretty much be twins!"

Kisame uncharacteristically raised a brow at the girl sitting across from him, winking, grinning, and striking the world's most corny thumbs up, right in his face.

"Heh, and here I thought you couldn't look any more ridiculous," he scoffed, taking a swig of beer and then letting himself chuckle at the sight a little. He had to hand it to her though; she did a pretty good impression- cheesy grin and all.

Sakura stuck her tongue out and took her drink to her lips, shooting it back.

"You're a jerk, but I'm going to agree that it's a little dorky- Gai's attitude- sometimes. Either way, he's really not so bad. Better to have a little enthusiasm than to be a complete stuck-up ass all the time, right sharky?"

"Hmm, I'm gonna disagree, _pinky_," he responded, tipping his drink towards her.

"Of course you'd never allow yourself to openly agree with anything I say, but I'm sure inwardly you're taking notes," she said smirking, "Anyway, now you have to tell me about some of your buddies back in Akatsuki."

Kisame just rolled his eyes at her and sighed, "They weren't my bud-"

"_Whatever,_" Sakura interrupted, remembering how much he hated that term and anything associated.

"So what was it like? Were they all secretly down to earth as well, or were you the only one who turned out to be a big softie under the scary exterior?" Sakura prodded, taking note of the eyebrow twitch on the man beside her.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"Pretend all you want, but it's true."

The man sighed in exasperation at his female companion, wondering just why he agreed to let her join his drinking session. It could very well be the last time he'd have himself a nice, cold beer, and it was getting ruined by the kunoichi's incessant prodding.

_'Like you'd have it any other way,'_ Kisame told himself inwardly, then smirked at the girl across from him.

"What do you want to know?"

"I don't know. Did you get along with anyone while you were there?"

"I got along with Konan well enough. She was certainly more mature than _you_ are..."

"Okay, you know what? I take back this line of questioning. You really do suck at conversation."

"Heh_, take a joke_, kunoichi. Don't get so damn defensive, lest you prove me right," he grinned fiendishly, taunting her.

Sakura sneered, unimpressed by the way her words always came back to bite her in the ass, but she raised her sake up to her lips, waiting for Kisame to continue talking.

"I mostly kept to myself back then," he said, looking out the window, "Well, sometimes Itachi and I would talk, but that was rather short-lived in the end, so to speak. Although it was different after he told me about his past."

"When you realized he was a man of character?"

"I always knew there was more to that Uchiha than met the eye, but yeah I had a bit more respect for the guy afterwards."

The dull thunk of heavy glass hitting a damp wooden table was heard as Kisame put down his empty beer.

"But other than Itachi or Konan, Deidara was one of the less irritating ones too I suppose."

"_Dei_- the bomb guy?"

"Yeah," Kisame said with a slight chuckle, apparently remembering something.

"Kakashi and Naruto took him down," Sakura murmured, recalling her own dark memories of the blonde Akatsuki member.

"Actually he survived that- Deidara fought Sasuke later, but ended up blowing himself up. Only Sasori was killed that one day after the one-tailed jinchuriki was captured."

Sakura opened her mouth to speak but then looked down at the table in front of her, as she lazily spun her sake cup around with one finger. She remembered it clearly, when Gaara was captured and a team of Konoha shinobi was sent out to rescue him- after all, she was one of those team members.

"That day... it was... well- myself and another woman took down Sasori."

Kisame looked at the girl, brows furrowed in disbelief.

"_You_? Took down _Sasori_?"

"The puppet guy, right? But it wasn't just me; if it wasn't for Chiyo, it wouldn't have been possible."

Kisame blinked as he processed the information.

"I find that a little hard to believe, kunoichi. Even with help, Sasori was one of the better fighters."

"Well, you can believe whatever you want. Here, look," Sakura said, pulling her maroon vest up, exposing the base of her right ribcage. There was a large, ragged, scar there, and she traced its raised surface with her fingers as she spoke.

"It was the hardest battle I'd ever been in- despite having an extremely skilled woman fighting with me. At one point, we thought Sasori was dead, but when I came up to confirm it, he got me with his sword. Luckily, I healed myself from within so it wasn't a fatal blow," she said quietly, fingers still tracing the white, ragged lines.

"I managed to stay alive, but I hated this scar that I was left with afterwards. As much as I tried, I just couldn't seem to heal it fully, but now I'm kind of glad it's there," she continued absent-mindedly, and then rolled back her vest and sat normally.

Observing the girl intently, Kisame let her continue.

"Chiyo- the woman who I fought Sasori with- ended up dying that day. She sacrificed herself so that Gaara could live again, and after that it seemed a little foolish to care about some dumb scar- as ugly as it may be- because she had lost something much more valuable."

Sakura smiled sadly, her hand brushing past her ribcage once more as she put both arms on the table.

"Hm," Kisame grunted after a bit. Sakura's words stirred something in him. He knew all-too well about self-sacrifice, considering his upbringing and the values instilled in him as a Mist shinobi. But now, as a rogue-nin, he could care less about such acts.

"Sasori, huh," he said, pensively murmuring to himself as he reconsidered Sakura's strength.

"Were you friends with him?" she quickly asked, looking slightly concerned.

Kisame snorted.

"Heh, puppet-boy? Oh, no. Never liked him," he responded crossing his arms, mind still elsewhere.

Both of them finished the rest of their drinks in silence as each mulled over their thoughts individually. Quickly after, they payed and left the small bar, standing outside as Kisame looked over his map again.

"Alright, time to head to Jiro," he said turning in the appropriate direction, waiting for Sakura to finish stretching out her stiff legs.

"Ready?"

Sakura didn't want to think too deeply about the word "ready" and its implication in their nearing battle with Madara, so she just quickly nodded, and stepped in line with the man as they walked towards the coast.

They didn't speak the entire way there, as each thought of the upcoming task. Sakura focused on remembering everything that Kisame had told her about Madara- his teleportation skill, the sharingan, and whatever else she had learned. Every detail was thoroughly re-analyzed and assessed as she went over it, as well as her countless spars and battles with her partner Kisame. She went over their planned strategy hundreds of times already, but did so again, so the memory was fresh and available in case they were caught off-guard.

Sometime during her mental strategizing, Sakura noticed the span of sparkling blue ahead, and realized they had reached the coastline already. Masking their chakra in order to attract as little attention as possible, they crossed the distance between the two islands by "borrowing"- as Kisame had so eloquently described it- a small rowboat anchored at the bank.

After arriving on the small island, they quickly sought out cover in a heavily-wooded rainforest and began their search.

Neither Kisame nor Sakura were strictly sensory types, but they both put forth whatever efforts they could in trying to track down the smallest hint of a chakra signal from anywhere nearby. Kisame's heightened sense of smell as well as Samehada's ability to sense chakra were the best assets the team had, but Madara was no sloppy fool, as there was no trace of peculiar chakra anywhere. There was no time to talk as they carefully canvassed the humid forest, hours going by to the rhythmic sound of cicadas and foliage being brushed aside. Sakura was sweating bullets in the heat, exerting herself to be as discreet and soundless as possible while they walked on, but never once even thinking to complain.

Her hands kept busy by constantly brushing them over her shorts and vest, checking to make sure every weapon was in its right place to be used as necessary.

The bright yellow spots of sunlight filtering through the canopy above slowly dimmed as dusk settled in. Sakura wondered how large this island was, and just how much they had covered in what seemed like such a long time. She was going to question Kisame about it, but she felt him tense next to her as his steady pace halted. His dark-rimmed eye shot her a look of warning, and instinctively the kunoichi prepared her muscles for combat.

Kisame withdrew Samehada from its holster on his back, slowly as if it were telling him something.

"There's... a familiar presence here," he said, and Sakura's eyes darted nervously around, her heart-beat increasing steadily. As if his sword guided him, he leapt towards an area up ahead, Sakura quickly following. Stopping a short distance away, Kisame found what he was searching for. Crouching down towards the leaf-covered ground, he noticed something shiny glint in the waning sunlight. Sakura watched as the man brushed away the large leaves, exposing the hilt of a sword jutting out from the ground at an angle. He sniffed, and grabbed the metal hilt, unearthing the weapon in one steady sweep. Damp earth and moss fell from the large sword as Sakura looked upon it in confusion. It was almost as big as Samehada, and had a wide blade with a hole in it.

"Wait a second-" she said, her mind conjuring up an image as she remembered something from her past, "I've seen that sword before..."

"_Kubikiribocho_. One of the legendary blades of the Seven Swordsmen," Kisame said, a frown marring his face as he shook the dirt off of the broad blade.

"Zabuza had a sword like that," Sakura whispered, wondering what the hell was going on.

"And then Mangetsu's kid brother," Kisame said finally, remembering the last time he saw the boy- and more importantly who he was with.

This was a bad sign, he thought to himself darkly, thrusting the blade back into the earth.

Sakura would have inquired, but something jolted her out of her thoughts as the air around them shifted in an instant. Her hand flew to the kunai at her hip, and she crouched, readying herself for a confrontation.

"You..." Kisame said, and then Sakura's blood froze.

Ahead of them, a dark figure had manifested, rustling the leaves around the area. She didn't need to look upon him to know who it was- that strong chakra was one she had all but forgotten.

The trembling fingers on her kunai didn't still as her eyes widened.

"Sasuke," she breathed out, feeling like her breath had been knocked from her lungs.

The shock of seeing her former love was threatening to overwhelm her and bring her to her knees, but she wilfully steeled herself, gulping as if it could help distract her from having a breakdown. She had _not_ expected this. Sakura didn't really know what they were going to encounter on the island, but she certainly wasn't planning on seeing Sasuke, alone, and dressed in the very same garb she expected to see Madara in.

She knew her former teammate was affiliated with Madara somehow, but seeing him in the Akatsuki colors, standing before them so physically _real_ and _close_ was almost too much for her to handle. Frantic, she searched her mind for words.

"Sasuke..." was all she could manage again, her throat dry despite the humidity humming in the air. She just wanted him to address her- at least answer to the name in case he was somehow a jarringly similar lookalike.

Kisame sensed the girl's dilemma, and stepped slightly in front of her.

"What are you doing here? Where's Madara?" the shark-man asked firmly, hoping this wasn't going to escalade to some sort of melodramatic showdown.

He was not happy about this. Something about the Uchiha kid made him uneasy this time, and the fact that he was alone just made it worse. There was something different about him, that was for sure.

Sasuke ignored Kisame's question, just staring at the two of them, an unnerved look on his face as he glanced over at Sakura in particular. They weren't expecting to see him there, but clearly, neither was Sasuke.

His expression became more steeled as he let whatever questions he had wipe off from his face. The seconds that transpired felt like an eternity in the tense silence as all three were trying to figure out what to do.

Sakura felt her speeding heart tighten a bit at Sasuke's stern face, but she did notice how he had looked at her seconds earlier and wanted to say something. Instinctively she gulped down the fear, and blinked, clearing her tumultuous thoughts.

_'Stop it Sakura. This isn't the time for weakness. Be strong. Sasuke needs your help,'_ she told herself inwardly, and breathed in a shaky breath, stilling her frantic heartbeat.

Kisame decided to speak again, unsure of what Sasuke was prepared to do with Sakura there.

"I'll ask again, where's Madara?"

The Uchiha's eyes narrowed at the shark-man's demanding tone, wondering how to deal with this unexpected intrusion, and the fact that _she_ was here...

"Madara is none of your concern," Sasuke said icily, his right hand flexing at his side, ready for action.

Kisame was taught how to read faces from a young age, and there was definitely something going on with the Uchiha. It looked as if he was trying to think of some sort of plan- likely how to dispose of them both. From what Sakura had told him, when they were teammates, she had been weak, and Sasuke likely still thought that, so why was he acting so hesitant? If any lingering camaraderie was there, then the boy would have acted more compassionate back in Kabuto's lab when he saw her there, but instead left her to her fate.

Kisame gritted his teeth, hoping Sakura wouldn't lose her nerve in light of this unfavorable situation, but even so, could literally hear her heart pounding next to him.

"My business is with your leader, but if you want a fight then you'll get one," Kisame said, not wanting to draw out this petty stand-off any longer.

Sakura visibly tensed next to him, clearly not liking the idea, but Kisame's hand was firm on Samehada's hilt, his eyes locked on to the dark-haired man's ahead of them.

Sakura's eyes darted around between the two men anxiously, frantically searching for something to say to avoid the fight.

"W-wait! Please! Don't do this! Sasu-"

Before she could finish, the loud chirping of chidori resonated in the air and the resolved gleaming eyes of Sasuke were locked on Kisame's, intent on one thing only. Then the Uchiha man began walking towards them, almost as if he were going to just brush past and continue on to wherever he was headed, except for the increasing spike in chakra as he approached. Every fibre in the kunoichi's being was trained to recognize this as danger. Every muscle in her body was screaming at her to move- to get to safety _now_- but her mind kept reminding her of one thing: this is _Uchiha Sasuke_.

_My _Uchiha Sasuke.

And Uchiha Sasuke was no enemy. He was simply not capable of harming her, an ally, a friend. _A potential..._

Said man's hands twitched as the hairs on his knuckles stood upright from the static electricity which was being generated under his skin. Sakura remained crouched, almost trying to taste that chakra and somehow prove that it was different, and that he was an imposter. She watched as that familiar white-blue of his chakra pulsed out towards his fingers, and she closed her eyes as if she didn't want to see what was going to happen next.

Because she knew.

The man's chakra was the same, but his intent was certainly different. Her eyes re-opened and any lingering doubt was stamped out as Sakura realized Sasuke truly intended to kill them.

_'But why?'_

She could hear Kisame's teeth grit in preparation for counter-attack. Realizing she was running out of time, Sakura fished around in her head for something to say to him-something, _anything_ to make him do a complete three-sixty in a couple of seconds.

"I know about Itachi," she blurted out desperately, the words cutting through the air like a sword.

And it seemed to have truly struck the man as Sasuke paused for a moment- his eyes darkening over as they locked with the kunoichi's- a scowl marring his face. She took the short moment to look at his face intently, taking note of how much older he really looked. His skin had lost its youthful glow, and around the corners of his lips he had faint lines. But most alarming were the blotchy, dark-red circles around his eyes- he looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. His hand flexed dangerously at his side and hastily she spoke again.

"You don't have to do this, Sasuke," Sakura's voice was calmer than she thought, yet the erratic heartbeat in her chest was telling a different story.

"Look, please just hear me out-"

"I don't have time to chat," he responded icily, the electric sound of chidori once again filling the air around them.

"_No_! Sasuke, this isn't you! Please, you still have friends who care about you! Come back to Konoha- you don't realize what Madara intends to do-" she pleaded desperately, losing her calm state to her emotions.

In an instant, mist covered the area, and Sakura felt Kisame move from her side off to the trees, most likely. After all, they had trained this strategy for a while now and she had memorized it perfectly. Instinctively leaping the opposite direction, she grimly realized they'd have to use it against Sasuke instead of Madara like planned.

_'Oh god, oh god, oh god! What am I going to do?'_ she repeated anxiously, trying desperately hard not to scream as she ran through the mist.

Having gained enough distance, she backed up behind a tree, her mind trying to forget about what to say to Sasuke for the time being, and think only of the fight and survival.

As she bit her finger in order to summon Kagyuu, something clamped firmly around her throat, stopping her in her tracks.

Instinctively, her hands wrapped around the assailant's hoping to loosen his grip, and he did, only enough for her to be able to breathe.

"Ngh... Sasu...ke...why-"

With great displeasure in his face, he watched the jade pools of his former teammate's eyes crinkle and glaze over with tears from the suffocating pain.

"Konoha, you say?" he said dangerously, addressing Sakura's plea from before. She tried to keep her eyes on him even through the thick mist, searching still for any sign of hope- any crack that she could snake her way into and remind him of who he was- but only deadened black irises stared back into hers, full of nothing but hate and anger.

"What do I have there? Memories of a family, destroyed by the village they resided in? Konoha, and its blood-stained residents are all dead to me," he said, emphasizing that last remark with a firm squeeze, "And don't _ever_ tell me you know about Itachi."

Sakura felt his grip tighten again, as the veins in her forehead rose to the surface from the pressure. His cold voice dripped with a deep loathing, and in that moment of utter shock at his words, she realized he was too far gone. The boy she once knew had died, and solemnly, she wondered when exactly that happened.

A tear slid from her reddened eye down her cheek and she made a choking, muffled sound as her hands clasped his. They started to tingle as Sakura realized she was running out of oxygen. Desperately, with every ounce of strength she had, the girl clawed at him to let her go, and give her a chance to make a move. As stars began dotting her vision, she heard Kisame's voice echo through the dense mist.

"Is that your idea of a fight?"

Sasuke spat defiantly, and flung Sakura to the side violently, her body hitting the ground a few feet away. She gulped in air desperately, breathing made even harder in the mist which now engulfed the surroundings.

Kisame was behind the Uchiha, Samehada pointed straight at his back as chakra was being sucked out of him in waves.

"Face me," Kisame ordered, glancing over quickly to where Sakura was, and then back at his opponent.

Quickly, Sasuke turned and withdrew one of his katana, swinging it at Samehada in an attempt to disarm its wielder. Kisame's grip was firm, but he leapt back in a defensive stance, allowing for enough distance between them so that the sharingan would be ineffective.

In the thick, misty fog, he heard Sasuke laugh darkly.

"A chakra-eating sword and vision-impairing mist. You came prepared."

"Not that I need to be for shrimp like you," Kisame barked, lunging forward, mainly in an attempt to lure Sasuke away from the girl on the ground nearby. Cursing under his breath, he pursued the Uchiha, all the while distracted by the choking sound behind him.

Luckily, Sasuke took the bait, and focused his attention on the shark-man, following the path he was weaving through the mist.

"Don't underestimate me," Sasuke growled, and all too suddenly he was behind Kisame, readying a fatal blow to his spine. Fortunately, his reflexes were fast enough, and the shark-man dodged, all the while wondering how Sasuke located him that quickly in the fog. Deftly weaving some hand signs, the Mist-nin created a water clone to distract the Uchiha just in case.

_'It shouldn't have been that easy...'_ Kisame thought, silently leaping away hoping to put more distance between them.

And then he realized he couldn't hear Sakura's labored breathing anymore and a trace of panic struck him. In that moment of distraction, Sasuke had once again gotten close enough, still trying to separate Kisame from his sword.

_'Good, he's still focused on me, and he's threatened by Samehada,'_ the Mist-nin thought, knowing that he had a great advantage with his weapon. He had managed to suck out a decent amount of the man's chakra earlier, and hopefully limit Sasuke's attacks. He knew they came prepared to fight a far stronger enemy, but still the kid's abilities were better than he had anticipated. And with Sakura god knows where, he had a feeling he would be going all-out against his enemy very quickly.

Deciding to go on the offensive, Kisame lunged forward and swung the hulking sword towards his opponent again, a wave of water bursting out of his mouth as he weaved signs with his other hand, simultaneously dousing Sasuke's sudden katon jutsu in the process.

"You have one last chance to tell me where your leader is," Kisame said as he duelled his opponent in the thick, cool mist. Inwardly, he knew he was still stalling. It was unlike him to do so, yet truthfully he didn't know how he was going to deal with this situation. His blood lusted for the Uchiha's death, but something put the brakes on. After all, he was the _one_ thing Itachi valued most in his life, and now... well, Sakura too. He scoffed in frustration. It shouldn't have mattered, considering how far gone the boy had fallen, but something compelled him to hold back his full strength for a bit longer.

Luckily, Kisame had the upper hand when it came to stamina, and he had already taken a fair amount of Sasuke's chakra, but still, he was uneasy about letting this drag on. And Madara could very well be lurking somewhere in the shadows, which really meant death if he decided to join the fight.

_'Where the hell are you, kunoichi?' _Kisame wondered once again, actively scanning for signs of the girl, hoping she hadn't passed out in the deadly mist. They needed to work together in case the worst happened.

"So this is what my brother had as a partner? A coward who hides behind a veil, and refuses to face his enemy directly?" Sasuke laughed, taunting his opponent.

Rationality told him not to take the obvious bait, but Kisame was running low on patience now, seriously itching to draw blood. With an angry growl, Kisame lunged with his sword, and with a forceful grunt, bore all his weight downwards as he swung towards the Uchiha a few meters away. They clashed violently, the mist clearing a little with every sweeping swing of their swords. Sasuke had infused his blade with electricity in order to provide an adequate match for the powerful Samehada, as it couldn't absorb it efficiently since Kisame had a water-based affinity. The blue-skinned man needed to create a large amount of water to have full advantage, but he couldn't do so if Sakura was passed out, lest she drown. Running quickly through his options, he continued fighting Sasuke, until he sensed the slight change in scent in the damp air.

_'Sakura...'_

She was somewhere behind Sasuke, that much Kisame knew. But as for her intentions, he was unsure. Suddenly, he feared she was about to do something immensely stupid and he knew he had to act fast.

Sakura had gotten up after regaining her breath, and mustered enough energy to hide behind a tree and think of what to do. Pinpointing Kisame in the mist wasn't hard now that she was trained adequately, so she quickly tried to come up with a plan. As she began healing her swollen esophagus tissue, the pain from what Sasuke had done slowly became replaced by anger.

How _dare_ he?

If she hadn't looked him directly in the eyes as he tried to squeeze the life out of her, Sakura wouldn't have been convinced. He wasn't just a confused, misguided genin anymore- he was a serious threat to her and anyone else who stood in the way. And remembering the hateful way in which he talked of Konoha- of her friends, of _her_- Sakura panicked. Were the lives of countless citizens of her hometown less valuable than Sasuke's? She bit down on her lip hard, desperately hoping reason would outweigh her strong emotions. No, she _had_ to do something about him. Brushing aside the still-lingering desire to save her former teammate, she ground her teeth and balled her hands in fists. If he could so easily try to kill her, he would do so to every person in Konoha, and that included Naruto too.

_'Naruto... I can't let you see him like this. Not like this...' _

Screwing her eyes in pain at the thought, she knew what she had to do, and it almost made her sick.

_'I told myself I would stop being selfish,' _she said, thumbing the handle of the poisoned kunai at her hip, and blinked away the last of the unshed tears in her eyes.

With a ferocity in her eyes, she leapt towards the sound of clashing swords.

Sasuke wasn't stupid. Kisame was toying with him, but he couldn't get the relentless shark-man to stop his attacks long enough for him to think of something. With a frown, he considered his options, realizing he was half-way through his chakra. At least for the time being, his electricity-laced chakra was a decent barrier, but he would have to think of a good offense fast, without having to resort to any risks. Smirking, he reassured himself that he was fine. Sakura was likely unconscious by now, and Kisame was no match against him, especially not if he could get out of this mist long enough to capture him in a simple genjutsu. No, he had this, and if anything it was good training- a good time to try _that_.

Sasuke thrust his katana into the ground, readying himself to jump off and switch courses to distract the shark-man long enough to injure him. As he jumped up onto its hilt, and prepared to flip, he saw a blur of pink behind his fluttering black coat sleeve. Losing his footing, he changed direction, but Kisame was already headed straight towards his chest with the unravelled sword- its scales ready to shred him apart. For a split second, the Uchiha's eyes widened in surprise, then closed and reopened, not as the dark brown of before, but blazing, spinning red. Kisame's own eyes widened at the sight- the all-too eerily familiar sight.

It was unmistakeable. Itachi's eyes.

Knowing full well what he was up against, Kisame sought to warn the kunoichi.

"Sakura, move!" he yelled, but it didn't get through, as the girl stood unmoving, now behind a still Sasuke. From the mist, Kisame couldn't see much other than two shadowy figures, but he couldn't come close now that the Mangekyo was activated. If Sakura was going to kill him, this was her only chance- from behind, just like they had strategized- but with another Uchiha as their target.

Seconds went by which felt impossibly long, as Kisame waited for the scent of blood to permeate the air- the scent of tears, the scent of regrets.

And Sakura waited too. She waited for the images fluttering by in her head to stop showing her faces of rare smiles from a dark, brooding boy. She waited for them to stop showing her the lone child, dangling his feet on the pier of a still, silent lake. She waited for these images to pass, and give her her strength back, because she couldn't kill this young orphaned boy.

Except he was already dead.

_'Sasuke, forgive me-!'_

She sobbed and thrust forward with her blade.

Kisame heard the girl's pained cry, and instantly the ground shook with fury and a loud, steely moan echoed in the mist. Sakura was thrown backwards with force, as an enormous entity manifested itself seemingly from out of nowhere, rising high and through the tree canopy above, spreading the mist around them dangerously thin.

Crying out in pain, Sakura gripped her buzzing arm, feeling as if her bones had splintered from the impact of the unknown thing hitting her, and then a strange force gripped her, preventing her from moving. Looking up, she noticed the source of her pain, and felt terror, as she gazed upon the enormous skeleton-like entity now protectively surrounding Sasuke.

She had never heard about this kind of power, and panicked, as she watched a huge, bony hand heading towards her, likely in order to crush her body.

Sakura ripped her eyes from her impending doom, and looked into Sasuke's. Now that the mist was clearing, she could see his sharingan looked different, and that's when she realized the source of this new power.

He looked coldly into her soul, his eyes bleeding from the apparent strain he was causing by using this otherworldly jutsu, and Sakura could no longer see the boy she once knew. Immense grief gripped her at that moment, and she put all of her effort into not breaking down. If she was going to die, then he would have to as well; there was no way she could allow Naruto to even see Sasuke this far gone, as it would surely kill any spirit left in her optimistic friend.

As Sakura reached for another kunai, Sasuke spoke.

"You think you understand my situation, and what it's like..." he ground out, a scowl on his face, as he looked ahead into the distance.

His calm, icy tone from earlier was becoming much more maddened, as his words fanned the angry flames of his emotions. Sakura knew if she didn't think of something fast, it would be too late for them all. Instinct told her to reason with him, just try once more, if any shred of the old Sasuke was left in him, but she knew he was beyond reasoning now. Whatever Madara said had taken drastic effect on him, and Sakura's lip quivered as she looked upon the hate-filled, swollen and bleeding eyes of one who was once not so.

Then he turned to her, as if he knew she was resolved to kill him, and he smiled.

"You think you _know_..." he repeated.

Sakura's blood ran cold at the words and his inhumane expression, and then at where his eyes focused next.

_'No...' _she gasped breathlessly, as she followed Sasuke's gaze, her eyes wide as she turned her head slowly as if through honey.

In the distance she saw Kisame on his knees, head hung low, arms limp at his sides and unmoving- eerily reminiscent of another time and place. Sakura scrambled to her feet in an instant, every atom in her body knowing only one purpose.

"...you know _nothing_ of loss..." Sasuke growled out like a madman.

Sakura knew what he meant to do and she forced her shocked muscles into action. Quickly biting her finger, she summoned her slug.

"Restrain Sasuke!" she had managed to order Kagyuu before she took off towards the unmoving Mist-nin, running like she had never thought possible.

The slug immediately headed towards the Uchiha, going underground so as to avoid the skeletal defender. Sasuke buckled towards the ground as Kagyuu split off into smaller slugs and tried to render him immobile, but it was too late. Dropping down on his knees, eyes bleeding and wide as he laughed, looking straight ahead at Kisame.

_'Oh god, oh god-!'_ she panicked, her fingers weaving the genjutsu release signs as she ran, but she was still too far.

"Release! Release! _Release_, goddamnit!" she screamed desperately, her hands slapping together roughly as she continuously ran.

If she could just force chakra into his body to awaken him! Her body shook from the speed, tendons stretched to the maximum, as she nearly flew towards the unmoving man.

"_Kisame!_" she screamed, her throat nearly ripping from the force.

"_Amaterasu!_"

The word rang in her ears, along with the violent whipping of wind, as she sped towards Kisame, hitting his body full force from the momentum of her speed. The wet, dirt floor yielded as their bodies slid back a few meters, and her chakra hummed audibly out of her in waves, penetrating through Kisame's body as Sakura desperately tried to bring him back to reality. But she didn't even have a chance to look up at his face before an immense pain made itself known to her as the cackling, silky howl of flames was heard dangerously close. A pained cry escaped her lips, and the hands on Kisame's chest tore off of his shirt as she collapsed onto her knees next to him, now gripping her right arm.

Kisame's eyes flew open from the force of chakra now gushing through his system. His body physically ached from the hard switch from genjutsu to reality, but he didn't have time to even think about that as his head turned sharply towards the girl at his side. Sakura's small frame shook, as she was bent down on her knees, her right arm and shoulder burning with thick black flames. She threw her head back in agony and sobbed, one hand fisted in the wet grass, the other glowing bright green as it fought with the flames and tried to heal her burning flesh. Realizing it was futile and she was running out of time, Sakura bit back the stinging tears as she tried to think of something.

In those moments Kisame's gut twisted at the sight, knowing he could do nothing. Despite the girl's great healing powers, she couldn't douse the flames of Amaterasu without losing her arm.

"Don't touch them! Those flames can't be extinguished!" he yelled, but she looked up at him, her face contorted in pain as she spoke.

"Go... _go_ Kisame! It's okay-" she demanded, half-screaming, half-sobbing, her hand on her arm still burning, still glowing green.

From what Kisame told her about Itachi, she knew about the inextinguishable fire of Amaterasu, but never had she considered Sasuke would have known the technique. Now, those very flames scorched her skin, and pain gripped her in unfathomable intensity, regardless of the adrenalin coursing through her veins. She had to act fast, before her body went into shock and they burned through her arm completely.

Tears freely crept down her face, as she put the remainder of her focus and energy on how to save her arm. She knew there was only one option, regardless of how risky: she had to activate her Yin seal. Tsunade was in the process of teaching Sakura how to store chakra gradually over time and keep it sealed, like she had done with the diamond on her forehead, but as the technique was time-based, it would take her years until she had stored up enough chakra to do the kind of regenerative techniques as her mentor. And on top of that, she had never attempted activating it on her own.

Regardless, Sakura realized it was her only option now - she had to try. Forming the memorized sequence of seals, a small diamond-shaped mark glowed on her forehead as spindly waves of chakra crept outwards like little veins, releasing the seal which held back what little chakra she had stored. Her heart-beat sped up as the chakra began to regenerate her damaged cells at a rapid rate, and she panted, gripping her still-burning arm as the pain grew double-fold. Light-filled blobs dotted her vision, and Sakura broke out in cold sweat, knowing she was either going to die or black-out from the pain, and before collapsing, she turned her head weakly to look one last time at the injured form of Sasuke, hands covering his eyes as he knelt on the floor immobilized by her slugs. The metallic creaking of the giant skeleton's bones was heard as it began to disintegrate - the result of Sasuke's chakra likely being spent.

She wanted to say something profound - _anything _- but could only let out shaky, ragged breaths, as she looked up at the shadow still towering over her. Kisame remained standing over her violently shaking form, still unable to move his feet despite the immense amount of rage-fuelled adrenalin coursing through every fibre of his being.

"It's okay... it's okay..." was all she managed to sob softly to the shark-man before collapsing, the world around her fading to black.

Kisame's body felt like an electric shock went through him. Whatever remnants of genjutsu-induced pain lingered in him were gone as he looked into Sakura's swollen, reddened eyes and that trembling, pained smile she managed before falling to the damp ground. The flames on her skin almost seemed to be waning, as her veins appeared to glow green, weaving their way over them. If he didn't have an extremely pressing matter to attend to, he wouldn't have been able to tear his eyes away from the strange and miraculous sight.

But, _oh_, did he have a pressing matter to attend to.

Kisame's jaw visibly clenched, the muscles in his face contorting in an energetic rage, and glancing once more down at Sakura's defeated form, he scowled. Scowled, and pinned Sasuke's own defeated form in the distance with only one goal in mind.

_'It's okay,'_ her voice echoed in his mind, like some sort of permission for what he was about to do.

Sasuke was done for. Foolishly, he had used his sharingan too much and was now too useless to do anything else. Whatever noble hesitation Kisame felt earlier in killing the kid was now swept away, and all that remained was a bloodthirsty rage. Itachi would just have to rip him a new one in the after life, because he didn't give a damn at this point. Not bothering to find his sword, Kisame cracked his knuckles and headed forwards to land the killing blow.

"You really did learn nothing from your brother," Kisame growled scathingly, drawing back his arm as he readied a punch straight towards Sasuke's face. His Susanoo couldn't help him now - nothing, _nobody_ could. Kisame felt his knuckles almost shatter with the force of the impact as they met with the Uchiha's blood-streaked face. He was knocked back immediately, but made no move to get back up.

"Face me, coward!" Kisame yelled, even more pissed now that Sasuke wasn't doing anything, just grinning smugly like he wasn't about to get beaten to death.

Kisame fisted his hand into Sasuke's collar and lifted him easily off the ground, staring him directly into his bloody eyes. Those disgusting, red eyes which were responsible for so much of the shit in the world. But now they were back to the dark brown, his sclera completely red from the torn vessels.

He wanted to scoop them out with his fingers just so he'd never have to look at them ever again.

"Tell me where that _fucking_ Madara is, and I'll make this quicker than you deserve," Kisame spat, his teeth glinting menacingly at the Uchiha limp in his grasp.

"Hng, you'll know... soon... enough," Sasuke managed to gurgle out, and weaving one last sign with the blood from his mouth, his form dematerialized as Kisame was left with his arm still in the air, staring at the now empty space in anger-laced confusion. What the hell was going on? Did he just summon himself out?

_'Madara,'_ Kisame inwardly cursed, spitting at the ground in anger that his revenge didn't get fulfilled.

Growling to himself, he dropped his arm to his side, not giving the situation any more thought as he pivoted on his heel and went back towards Sakura. He would have to decipher the cryptic events later, but now...

"Kunoichi," he said, his brow furrowed as he knelt down next to her still-shaking, crumpled form. Her arm now had no trace of flames on it, but from the back of her elbow up to her shoulder the skin was severely injured - congealed blood and burnt skin marring the once-perfect flesh. A faint green glow still snaked its way across it, almost as if weaving its healing power through like a needle and thread, but was doing very little at this point.

_'Shit,'_ Kisame cursed inwardly, his finger going to her exposed neck, checking her pulse even though he knew she was still alive. The skin there was tinged a reddish-purple from being nearly-strangled, and he lightly brushed it with the back of his bloody hand.

He was unsure of what to do. Whipping his head around, he sensed quickly for any remaining danger, and finding none, he hesitantly bent down and picked the kunoichi up, making sure not to aggravate her wound in the process. One thing was for sure - he had to get off this cursed island.

With Sakura limp in his arms, he found Samehada and the girl's abandoned backpack near a tree, and headed quickly back towards the coast.

A voice caught him off-guard as he prepared to leave, and he un-tensed as he looked down, noting it was only Sakura's slug summon.

"Sasuke's presence is gone from the entire island," Kagyuu said a bit nervously, "but you need to leave here. Sakura will live, but she has used her Yin-seal chakra which has left her spent."

"What the hell is that?" he asked.

"It's a hyper-regenerative jutsu she learned from Tsunade-sama. It's a long-term technique developed to store small amounts of chakra over time in a certain point in the body until it's required for use. When activated, the seal releases this chakra and causes the cells in the body to regenerate at abnormally high rates, which then can repair damaged tissue."

"Well look at her arm- why didn't it work?" Kisame inquired, both intrigued and disappointed at the same time.

"I-it did, Kisame-sama. The Amaterasu's flames struck her, did they not? By using the seal - despite how little chakra Sakura-sama had stored - she had managed to shed the burning layers of skin with new tissue," the slug continued, "But there wasn't enough chakra to grow all of the layers back so it is still damaged."

Kisame looked down at the girl in his arms, frowning in frustration. Whatever she did, her arm was still bleeding and he promptly needed to do something about this.

"Please, take her somewhere safe quickly. I will try to stop the bleeding for the time being, but I will be summoned back to my world any moment now," Kagyuu said, and then crawled up towards the girl and began healing her arm as Kisame watched warily. Not wasting any more time he headed towards the east into Sea Country where the next nearest island would be.

Not caring about masking his chakra this time, Kisame used the water to his advantage as he reached the coastline and sped through the sea in a water bubble so Sakura could breathe. Kagyuu had managed to stop the major bleeding before poofing out, and that put his mind slightly at ease as he travelled at a fast pace eastward. It felt like a million things ran through his mind, but none of them really absorbed long enough to give them any real thought. Every few moments, he would glance down, just to confirm the girl hadn't died on him.

_'Goddamnit, kunoichi.'_

She sure was reckless, but this was a whole new level, even for Sakura. Out of all the thoughts running through his mind at the moment, one kept creeping back, reminding him of the fact that this should have been him.

...Only much worse.

Had Sakura not jumped in front of him as Sasuke used Amaterasu, Kisame would have died. Blinking, he didn't want to let that thought sink in, mentally changing the subject and thinking of where the hell he was going.

And where Madara was. And what happened as he was about to land the killing blow on Sasuke. And what the _fuck_ the kid meant with the last thing he said.

_'You'll know soon enough?' _

That mocking bastard. Kisame's hand around the girl's waist gripped harder, unknowingly pressing her body even closer to his chest.

The man noticed a mass of land ahead sooner than he thought, and was glad for it as he quickened his pace. Getting out of the water, he released his oxygen bubble, the water bursting around them, sending a small spray of moisture out into the already-humid air. Kisame wasn't sure where exactly he was, but it was somewhat cooler than Jiro and seemed less tropical. The landscape didn't matter though, as he just needed to find them some dry shelter, fast. He breathed in the salty air, and looked around. There was sand covering most of the place, yielding to small brush and grasses in the distance. Luckily, there wasn't any sign of civilization and even better, no sign of foreign chakra; the last thing Kisame needed now was another bout of fighting.

The genjutsu he was trapped in included much torture of his person, and it felt like he was there for days, being stabbed again and again with dull blades. He knew it was similar to the genjutsu Itachi had used the first time they went to Konoha and fought Hatake Kakashi, but never had Kisame thought the pain would affect him this much afterwards. Now that the adrenalin was fading from his system, his muscles were sore all over, causing him to involuntarily tremble but he pushed on ahead- Sakura in tow- as he trudged off into the distance.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Sasuke."

Dark tendrils of the Uchiha's hair snaked on the ground from his kneeling position, his hands covering his eyes as he panted from exertion.

"Sasuke," the clear voice in the darkness repeated patiently.

"I have nothing to say to you," said man growled in response, wanting nothing more than to slink away instead of having to discuss his failures in disposing of two inferior ninja.

"I did not gift you with your brother's eyes in order for you to be so reckless with them. And I also do not like to waste my chakra summoning you out of your messes when I am trying to conserve it for what lies ahead of me, understood?"

In the darkness of Madara's teleportation jutsu, Sasuke couldn't see anything even if he removed his hands from his eyes- there was just Madara's disembodied voice speaking to him from wherever he currently was. And Sasuke wanted to tear him apart for talking to him like that, but the pain from his eyes was threatening to overwhelm him. Was this what it was like for Itachi all the time? And on top of all that pain, what Konoha made him do...

His teeth gritted and he spat.

He couldn't _wait_ to give them what they deserved.

"Who was it?" Madara asked, breaking his young charge out of his thoughts.

Sasuke coughed up more blood, the punch from the shark-man having done some serious damage. He was ashamed of how weak he still was.

"Answer me."

"The Mist-nin Hoshigaki Kisame, and..." Sasuke paused, disgust lacing his voice as he remembered just how close she got to his person, "and Sakura."

Madara's voice remained hauntingly silent, so Sasuke spoke up again.

"I didn't kill her, so you can release me now."

In moments, the darkness gave way to the familiarity of the hideout, and Madara's voice echoed once again before fading out completely.

"Good. I expect you to rest and not get into any more trouble while I am away. I will return in a few days."

And with that his voice was completely gone.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

An hour passed before Kisame was able to find a suitable enough place, and it was in the form of what seemed to be an old, abandoned shrine. It was small, with a broken entrance and equally broken windows, but it would suffice until he figured out what to do next. Kisame looked around, really hoping nobody would decide today was a good day to pay their respects because they would be unpleasantly surprised. Fortunately, the shrine was nicely hidden with overgrown brush and trees, even the small path leading up to it being barely visible anymore. This place likely had no visitors, and Kisame decided to go inside after putting up a basic barrier around it.

The wooden floor creaked, and the musty smell of abandonment hit him full force as he walked inside, brushing away the dust-ridden cobwebs. It seemed even smaller on the inside- only a few paces walking room- and he had to duck down as the roof was rather low. Kisame wasn't about to complain though, and shrugged off his coat, setting it on the floor in the far corner of the room, a cloud of dust billowing up from the ground. As it settled, he knelt and gently laid Sakura down, her head lolling to the side. Kisame sighed, and sat back next to her against the paneled wall, taking a moment to rest and massage the back of his neck.

This was bad, but he didn't want to think. Thinking would just lead to a flurry of chaos which he wasn't prepared to unleash just yet. Kisame opened his eyes, not realizing he had allowed himself the luxury of closing them. He turned his head to the side taking a moment to observe the injured girl. Not waiting another second, he took Sakura's backpack and began to dig around for some first aid materials.

He found various tins of salve, herbs, and ointments, but even the labelled ones were all gibberish to him. Kisame had very minimal knowledge in medicine, but eventually found a small bottle of alcohol and a roll of gauze- at least he knew how to use those.

But first he had to inspect the damage closely. It was mostly the back of her right arm and shoulder which were affected, the fabric of her vest there having melted away, parts of which were fused to her skin. Hesitantly, Kisame began to peel it away, sincerely hoping Sakura wasn't bare underneath the garment. Luckily the girl wore breast-bindings- albeit damaged from the battle, but still intact where it mattered. Silently grateful, he took her vest fully off and tossed it to the side. He took a moment to observe her- the scar she showed him at the bar visible even in the dark shrine. If she thought that one was ugly, she sure would regret the new one she was about to get.

_'Regret...'_ Kisame repeated in his mind solemnly.

No. No thinking. Brushing aside the thought, he carefully turned the girl over and onto her stomach, gaining better access to her injury that way. Going over to her other side, he noticed that some of the more deeper wounds were re-opening and starting to bleed all over again. Cursing under his breath, he found a needle and thread and began to slowly stitch the larger gashes up, disinfecting them with the alcohol as he went.

What Kagyuu had told him about this regenerative jutsu she used was quite extraordinary despite how unrefined it was in Sakura's case. She really was a formidable medical ninja, and given a few years, could turn out to be an invaluable asset to her village.

And perhaps if she knew that, she wouldn't have thrown herself so foolishly into the line of fire like that, Kisame thought almost bitterly. His hand stilled as he bandaged her arm. Sakura's light pink hair was dull and stringy from sweat and dirt - some strands stuck to her tear-encrusted face - and he couldn't help but bring his free hand up to brush them away. He wanted to see her face - wanted to see her smile or laugh or yell or anything except for looking so damn unreachable like she did now. Her expression was sad, her lips chapped, and her eyelids red and swollen. He breathed in, hoping to clear the dry, dank smell of the dusty shrine from his senses and fill it with Sakura's bright, clean scent, but all he could smell was her coagulated blood and burnt flesh.

It almost made him sick.

He didn't want it to be this way. He didn't want to associate her with these things. She should not be here, half-dead with a severe burn wound covering her flesh which would never fade, forever reminding her of how she attained it.

_They_ should not be here.

Their mission was to be either a complete success or a complete failure, yet here they were somewhere in between.

_'Failure,'_ his mind repeated.

Kisame frowned, allowing the facts to dawn onto him finally. They had failed against an enemy who was less powerful than the one they intended to go up against in the first place. His jaw clenched, an audible grinding of his teeth heard in the silent wooden shrine.

They were back at square one. No, _negative_ square one because now they were both injured and had no clue where their enemy was.

But somehow... somehow even as Kisame's mind continued reminding him of this harsh reality, something was different. Because frankly, it just didn't _feel_ like a complete and utter failure. Something was missing. The cherry on top. He squinted at the little bottle of alcohol he held wondering if he should take a swig, because surely he had lost his sanity somewhere while he was in that genjutsu.

And speaking of which, he was really starting to feel the after-effects physically. He wiped the sweat off his brow, taking note of the pains in his gut and shoulders from where he was stabbed during the genjutsu. Sakura's wound was now all bandaged and sewn up- to the extent of Kisame's abilities anyway- so he set her arm back down by her side and retook his position next to her against the wall to rest up himself.

But instead of sleeping- like his body so desperately craved - his eyes were unable to tear away from that arm he had just bandaged.

"Reckless little kunoichi," Kisame grumbled in the stark silence, allowing a small grin to flash on his face. Reckless or not, all that mattered currently was that they had survived, and he would make sure it would stay that way. It was no use sitting and mulling over anything else. So he took in a deep breath and proceeded to meditate, attempting to remove the lingering pain from his body, and waiting for a reckless girl to come back to the world of the living.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope this chapter was worth the wait! Sorry to Sasuke fans, but it's time we all realize what an unredeemable douche he is and move on with our lives. I feel like I made him slightly OOC, but still well within character. Feel free to review and tell me what you think either way! I haven't been keeping up with the manga for a few months, so from here on I'm going to divert a lot from canon (as if KisxSak wasn't indication enough, hah!) but still include aspects of the actual storyline (like the part earlier in this chap about Sasori, etc).

Also, thanks SO MUCH for your continuing reviews/support/harassment/death threats concerning Coercion. I'm so happy every time I get one, and seriously, without them I wouldn't have had the motivation to write. So please keep 'em coming, and I'll see you all soon with the next juicy chapter~!


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** Whoa, over 200 reviews! Thanks _so_ incredibly much for that you guys; I can't believe I've had that much feedback on this fic - it really means a ton. Please never stop sending me your delicious words of encouragement!

Anyway, this chapter is super long (13.5k words, ew!). I tried splitting it up but in the end, I just left it this way in order to preserve the flow. Either way, I loved writing it and I hope you guys enjoy it too~!

* * *

"_Sa...su...ke..._"

Kisame turned his head sharply, a whispered groan nearby rousing him immediately. As the thick fog of sleep cleared, he realized his hand was on his sword, and he retracted it, quickly reminding himself there was no danger. Cursing under his breath, Kisame realized he'd fallen asleep sometime during his meditation, and adding to that frustration was the utterance which woke him. _Sasuke._ Quite frankly, the name left more than just an acrid taste in his mouth and he refrained from spitting in disgust.

Suppressing his sentiments for the time being, Kisame turned towards the panting body lying next to him. Sakura trembled, eyes screwed shut in pain, and a sheen of sweat illuminating her face in the darkness. The smell of congealed blood and charred flesh hung thick in the small room, but it didn't affect him as much as what her body seemed to be going through. She was asleep, Kisame noticed, her eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks, the heel of her right foot sliding across the wooden floor as she writhed in agony.

Kisame observed her carefully, but at a loss for what to do. She was clearly in terrible shape, and her return to consciousness was only going to make the pain worse.

"Try not to move, kunoichi," he said, knowing she probably didn't hear him as he went looking for the bandages and alcohol. He needed something - _anything -_ to ease the helplessness he felt. Her labored short breaths and small groans filled the silence now, and Kisame cursed inwardly, fumbling with the materials as he quickly procured them and went to kneel by her side.

The bandages around her injured arm were now spotted with red circles blooming into large spots as they took over the starchy whiteness of the gauze. Sakura clenched her teeth and sucked in a sharp breath, aware of the pain, and not much else.

"Kisa...me," she ground out between her teeth.

He was unraveling the stained bandages and as she called his name, he paused. She appeared to be dreaming, hovering between unconsciousness and reality as her body reacted to the mental and physical state she was in. Kisame didn't know how to proceed with her in this condition. Was she going into shock? Did she have a fever? He had little medical knowledge, but all he knew was that he wanted her to return to normal once more.

The usual aura of chakra around her had waned to a dangerously low level, and if she got an infection or fever, there was little he could do to help her. Whatever that jutsu was that she used must have drained her to near empty and now that Sakura couldn't use her medical skills to mend herself, it was clearly up to him.

...And that was rather pitiful considering his training was more towards _taking_ lives rather than saving them. But no, surely he could manage this. He _would_. The resilient girl had gotten this far, and he couldn't live with himself if she died from a fever or something so easily preventable. Whatever the motivation, one thing was clear- she was in this state because of _him_, and he felt obliged to save her life by whatever means he could.

And somewhere during that thought, it occurred to him that this was the first and only time he attempted to save someone.

Fitting, that it would be Sakura then, Kisame thought.

The man cleared his mind, intent on focusing on the task at hand. Mid-way through peeling away the stained bandages, he felt Sakura shift and slightly lift her injured arm. He looked down as her bloodied hand rose and weakly touched his knee, the small squeeze she managed not lost on him. As if the barely noticeable gesture drained her of all energy, her fingers dragged down his kneecap and fell limp against the floor. Kisame picked up her hand and looked at it, the light filtering through the small window accenting the dirt under her fingernails and the brown blotches of blood smeared on her knuckles. He absently ran his thumb over the stained skin and wondered why someone like Sakura would put herself through any of this for him. Why someone like her would place her trust in him. The thought left him feeling strangely uncomfortable, and he stopped himself, placing her hand gently across her abdomen. Despite his conflicted feelings, Kisame knew he would honor that trust, for whatever it was worth.

.-.-.-.

Red. Blazing, burning red, of an intensity she had never seen before surrounded her, threatening to engulf her very essence. _What the hell?_ Where was she?

Before she could think further on the topic, flames rose out from the ground, and a horrible cackling was heard as Sakura's flesh was seared off her bones. She screamed, but no sound came out.

A door opened somewhere amidst that horrific redness, and a dark-haired man strode towards her suffering form. _'Help me,'_ she tried to yell desperately, but nothing cooperated, not even her body. She was horrified at her helplessness, but even more so as the figure revealed its identity.

_'Sasuke! Help, Sasuke, please!'_ but her voice felt like it was the consistency of glue and wouldn't vocalize.

He laughed, his eyes that same horrific red as their surroundings. He grabbed her violently by the throat and she couldn't even make the appropriate sound to accompany the act. _'Stop, oh god! What's happening,'_ she inwardly sobbed, completely and utterly defeated and useless. He choked her, squeezing with all his might, his gleaming red gaze burning a hole through her very being. Sakura looked past, avoiding the stare, only to be met with the sight of a crouched hulking blue-skinned figure, instinct telling her what was next. Horrified, she watched his body ignite into black flames and she screamed, screamed with all the force she could muster until she felt her throat rip to shreds.

.-.-.-.

Jade eyes suddenly flew wide open in a panic, a hoarse cry escaping Sakura's dry throat as she panted frantically. Instinctively, her hand shot up and clutched her neck, reassuring her that she was alright; it had only been a dream.

She blinked a few times as her heart slowed its frantic rhythm.

But if that was a dream then...

With nervous caution, the girl's eyes scanned her surroundings, everything unfamiliar to her. Her hands gripped the thick fabric under her, as she noticed one very obvious lack of something causing her heart to quicken its pace and panic to once again pump through her body.

_'Oh no!'_

Kisame was nowhere to be found, and the entire right side of her body hurt and ached something fierce. _'Shit,'_ she cursed, trying to right herself and wash away the cloudy remnants of sleep so she could think. The dream may not have been real, but the fight with Sasuke sure did happen, judging by the pain she was in. The girl tried not to panic as memory washed over her, reminding her of what happened.

_'Where are you, Kisame?'_ was all that went through her mind now.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps grabbed the girl's attention as she noticed a familiar tall shape appear against a rectangular backdrop of dark blue.

Outside. Night. Door. Room.

"Hey, you awake?"

_Kisame._

Sakura squinted, the terror slowly ebbing away from her system as she took in the man's large form. It was dark, and he was hunched in a too-small doorway. Kisame closed the rickety door behind him as he strode inside, his steps causing the wooden flooring to creak loudly. Fishing around briefly in Sakura's bag, he found some emergency candles, lighting two and setting them against the wall.

Kneeling down at her side, Kisame took a moment to inspect the girl now that she had awoken.

"You alright? I heard a scream."

A scream in the form of Sasuke's name. Again. Nothing like the mention of an Uchiha to ruin one's evening swim.

Sakura didn't realize she had said anything, but just nodded absently. She was too relieved seeing Kisame here to think about much of anything else. The man had a towel in his hand and was wiping the back of his neck, now setting the cloth on his shoulder as he picked up the girl's arm.

"Nggh," she groaned, the act immediately snapping her back to the reality of the situation.

"Sorry. Guess you're still in bad shape," he said, carefully setting her arm back at her side.

The dull pain punctuated every once in a while by tingling jabs confirmed this for Sakura, but she had a million other things now running through her mind. She turned to the man, noting how his seated form was bathed in a warm orange from the candle light, accenting the rivulets of water clinging to his skin. The smell and dampness of the evaporating water transfused through the small shack, replacing the stuffy dry atmosphere with a more refreshing one.

"You're okay," Sakura breathed out, her voice cracking but soft as her gaze moved slowly from his face downwards, assessing him. He was _alive_. He had made it, and had not lost any body parts. Her tense muscles loosened a bit and she allowed herself to let out the remainder of the breath she held.

Kisame grunted and tried not to shift under her scrutiny. How like Sakura, to be concerned about him when she was the one neck-deep in problems.

Sakura smiled slightly, and tried to lift herself up a little with her good arm, hoping to get a full look at her injury.

"Crap," she cursed, her eyes now locking onto the bandaged arm and the dark spots dotting it.

"You shouldn't move too much," Kisame said, looking for the medical supplies again. The sound of clinking glass containers and the shuffling of the heavy canvas bag filled the stagnant silence.

Sakura's first instinct was to begin healing her arm, but she felt that tell-tale hollowness deep within her indicating she barely had any chakra left. And then she remembered using _that_ jutsu and she groaned- Tsunade had specifically told her not to release the Yin seal prematurely because of the amount of recuperation time she'd need afterwards.

Which meant that she was going to be useless for a _while_.

But to use the still-incomplete jutsu was the only option she had at the time, and Sakura was glad it had worked- well, _somewhat_- according to plan. Her eyes went from her bleeding arm now to the back of one muscled shark-man. She felt the stinging, pounding pain recede a little at the sight of Kisame hunched over her bag awkwardly, likely looking around for things to mend her with. She eyed her arm, instantly noting several things wrong with the amateur patch-up job, but she didn't even find it in her to care. Somehow, she had made it out of that battle alive, and more importantly, so did he. Her lip curved up lightly in a smile, and she turned her gaze back to Kisame.

"The little blue tub- it's a blood-clotting antiseptic mix, bring it over. And the one with the _Symphytum offi_- uh, the purple flowers pictured on it."

Kisame paused, glancing back over his shoulder and then dug around for the ones Sakura described. Unfortunately there were many salves and tins, so it took him a while to find the right ones.

_'Precisely why I never became a medic,'_ he thought, eyeing the pretty much identical-looking herbs and plants on the labels- not to mention the effect the strong smells were having on him.

Ignoring his feelings on the matter, he eventually found the ones she described and then he padded over to her side and sat down with his legs crossed, placing the supplies in the hollow space between them.

"Kisame..."

Sakura's voice was soft, gaze now transfixed on the roof of the shrine as she lay still. Briefly glancing at her face, he noticed the smile from before was replaced by a frown. Quickly, he busied himself with the medical supplies- the swishing of the alcohol in the bottle and the pop of the opened lid all he answered her with.

"Did you kill him?" she asked, her words falling like lead in the stuffy dimness.

Kisame knew the question was coming eventually, but he couldn't help the involuntary twitch of a vein in his forehead at the answer. Frankly, he wanted to lie and say yes. _Yes_, he's dead and gone and _good fucking riddance_. Oh how desperately he just wanted to, even if he had to deal with hours of her sobbing and accusations thereafter, just so they would never have to speak of that damned kid again.

"No," the man responded sternly after a moment.

The soft, rhythmic sound of unraveling gauze was all that bridged that silence with the next utterance as he waited for the girl's soft sighs of reliefs, of _thank gods_ and joyful tears.

She took a slow, deep breath, and he watched her abdomen rise and then flatten back down as she slowly exhaled. Then her lips quivered and she let out an involuntary sob, her body jolting as she tried to suppress the emotion.

"I was so scared," she said, softly crying.

Kisame's hands clenched tightly around the end of the frayed gauze, wanting nothing more than to just pick up and leave. His gut coiled tightly with anger at her still-strong sentiments towards a man who was more than prepared to kill her _and_ him. Here she was lying nearly dead from Sasuke's assault on her person just moments ago, yet she was _scared_? Scared that he would die? The Mist-nin bit his tongue, because if he said something now, he wouldn't be able to hold back.

"I was so, _so_ scared..." Sakura repeated shakily, sniffing as she mustered control over her tears, "when I saw you... not moving..."

Kisame's rising anger halted as she said those last few words, his eyes widening in surprise.

Sakura brought her uninjured arm up and wiped the moisture from her face, her eyes turned up towards him and filled with immense warmth. Her trembling lips curved upwards and she let out a small laugh, pain evident in her brows as the movement caused her arm to tense up again. She felt stupid for crying, but the surge of emotion had been too much to suppress.

Kisame was utterly baffled at the kunoichi's unexpected remark and actions, but the whys didn't matter because whatever was up with her was making their defeat seem completely unimportant at the moment. He looked at the gauze in his hands and felt like he was unraveling much in the same way.

"I'm just glad I could do something right for once," Sakura continued, laughing sadly, eyes moving back towards her injury. She reached out to take one of the herbal concoctions, but the wince in her eyes prompted Kisame's hand to grab hold of her wrist, stopping her.

"I'll do it," he said, not looking away from her, "Just tell me how."

Sakura gulped, settling back down and nodding lightly at him. The look in his eyes- the way he spoke- sent a tremor through her, soothing her in a way no healing chakra could.

"Okay," she whispered, mesmerized by the flickering orange candlelight reflected in Kisame's eyes. The shadows created by the dim light made his facial features even more pronounced, and if it were anyone else, they would have felt nothing but fear in his presence.

But now... now she couldn't have felt more relieved to have this man here with her. And she almost laughed at how silly it probably sounded.

Kisame couldn't read the girl's expression, but he looked away because each second his gaze lingered there, the weirder he felt. Besides, he had things to do. Things which did not include thinking too much about what she said, nor about the fact that he had a vulnerable girl here in no more than shorts and breast bindings yielding to him with full trust.

No, certainly, that had not crossed his mind. He cleared his throat.

"So what the hell do I do with these?" he asked, picking up one of the herbal remedies.

Sakura was admiring the gill-like grooves on Kisame's left cheekbone until his question snapped her out of her blatant ogling. She blinked, wondering just why she found him so fascinating all of a sudden, and looked down at the supplies in his lap, medic mode quickly replacing whatever odd mood she was in previously.

"Okay, so. The topical anti- I mean, the blue one," she said, "You'll have to rub it on the blistered derma- um, skin. Then after, you do the same with the purple flower one and repeat the bandaging process."

Sakura tried not to think of the proximity required for the aforementioned process, suddenly realizing what state of undress she was in. Stifling her maidenly qualms, she realized that at least instructing someone on basic second-degree burn treatment was helping ease the slight tension in the room, and allowed for a relatively safe outlet. Kisame quickly set to work, and unscrewed the lid of the first one. Hesitantly dipping two fingers into the balmy substance, he tried to ignore the extremely pungent odor wafting from the small tub.

"Shit, what is this stuff?" he asked, already spreading the contents over her arm.

Sakura laughed through her nose at the distasteful expression he was making.

"Sorry, I forgot about your, ah, sensitive nose."

Kisame suddenly felt really stupid for mentioning anything considering the state she was in.

"Eh, I've had worse," he said with a shrug, spreading the balm over her skin starting from her forearm and making his way upwards.

"So how does it feel?" he asked.

Kisame closed his eyes for a moment, wanting nothing more than to punch himself in the face at the question. _'Probably feels amazing, that's how.'_ He waited for a response anyway.

"I've had worse," she repeated slightly smirking.

Well, at least she wasn't making a snarky jab at him for his stupid question.

"Yeah? Wanna share?" he prompted.

Good, something to get his mind off of... things.

Sakura snorted lightly.

"Nah, talking about injuries is pretty depressing. I'm more in the mood for jokes. Tell me one," she said casually, the effects of the herbal smell and Kisame's touch making her relax.

A joke? Kisame looked at her in confusion.

"_What_?"

"You know, like _'A guy walks into a bar...'_" she suggested, her unscathed arm resting on her exposed midsection.

Kisame wanted to inquire about why the hell she was being so uncharacteristically laid-back in light of events, but quickly changed his mind considering how he desperately wanted a get-away from his own thoughts at the moment. _Jokes_. He could do jokes.

"A guy walks into a bar..." Kisame repeated languidly, personally liking the scenario a bit too much for his own good, "and orders a jug of sake," he finished with a grin.

Sakura chuckled a little, and sighed.

"Hm, that's not a joke Kisame, that's just wishful thinking."

He smirked in that kind-of-menacing-yet-strangely-good-humored-way Sakura had grown to be accustomed to. She took a moment to memorize it, deciding it really suited him.

"Yeah who am I kidding," he said, unaware of Sakura's gaze, "I'd probably end up with some girly cocktail in the end anyway."

Sakura laughed through her nose, trying not to convulse at the hilarity as she remembered that particular time in Otafuku Gai.

"Man, that feels like forever ago, but then again it doesn't," she said wistfully.

"Mm," he murmured, dipping his fingers back into the balm and making small circles in the girl's damaged skin. She twitched every once in a while, but otherwise made no complaints. She even seemed to be enjoying it at some points. Kisame thought about what she said, and realized just how much time he had spent in this girl's company. It was strange, but at the same time something which had become almost completely normal.

"By the way you still owe me for that bet you lost," he said, the thought suddenly occurring to him.

"Ugh are you kidding me?"

"_No_," he said with a sly grin, still focused on his task.

"Fine, pick something and let's be done with it already. I don't need this thing haunting me for the rest of my life," she complained, not even caring what he wanted at this point.

"Hm, I guess there's nothing you could give me in this state right now."

Sakura quirked a brow.

"What does that even mean?"

Kisame grinned at her. Not like he had much of a clue himself, but winding her up was just too sweet to pass up, even though it probably wasn't a good idea in her fragile state. Then again, she was only half-assing her annoyance judging by the lack of scathing tone in her voice. He wanted to take it further, to really make her flustered, but stopped himself. After all, he wasn't _that_ cruel.

"Heh, never mind kunoichi. I'll tell you when you can handle it."

Sakura just blinked at him. Whatever. She wouldn't bother trying to figure him out right now, instead she glanced at her arm, taking note of the gravity of her injuries. Despite the fact that she had used the regeneration jutsu, she was still left with a second-degree burn. And it was an ugly one, which chakra probably could never fully heal. Sakura brushed the thought away, and continued her scan. The flesh on the inside of her arm was relatively unscathed- mostly just blistered at the edges of the more severe damage. And that was on the back of her arms, judging by the constant burning she felt there. Sakura craned her neck, and noticed the shoulder was hit pretty hard too. Her skin was bright pink all over and yellow where the dermis was exposed and blistered. The most severely damaged parts were dark red, almost black, and Sakura dreaded to know what the rest looked like.

"I'm going to have to turn you over," Kisame said after a while, realizing that this may end up being awkward now that she was conscious.

She nodded silently, and Kisame slid his hands under her legs and back, scooping her up off the coat with ease. Her breath hitched at the sudden move, more surprised at the fact that it made her blush. The wooden...room?... they occupied was tiny, she noticed, because Kisame had to bend down quite a bit in order not to bust a hole through the roof with his height. And that meant that his head was hovering directly above her thinly-covered chest as he knelt back down to turn her the other way.

She gulped, suddenly aware of certain _details_, like her lack of a proper shirt and the way his hands felt on her exposed skin. Sakura was glad for the dim lighting because surely Kisame would have taken note of her reddened face. Despite how he seemed, Kisame was gentle, bending down and in a fluid motion setting her on the ground facing the other wall. He held her wounded arm while Sakura flipped onto her stomach.

Stretching her good arm out, she rested her head on it, facing Kisame as he inspected the rest of the damage. Sakura was still slightly embarrassed at their closeness so she looked for something to distract herself with. But she couldn't think of much because all she could see was Kisame's chest, his abdomen scrunched inwards as he bent over her.

"So how bad is it?" Sakura finally asked, distracting herself.

"Better than yesterday," he murmured, resuming the cleaning process.

"Oh, I've been out since then? Damn," she said woefully, now feeling even more embarrassed and self-conscious.

She sniffed herself experimentally, wondering if her lack of showering for two days was noticeable.

Kisame just made a confirmative sound at her question, still focused on his task.

"Um where are we anyways?" she asked, her eyes scanning the walls which surrounded them.

"An island not too far from Jiro. I scouted it today, and it seems uninhabited. I'm still not terribly ecstatic being here, but I put up a barrier seal so we should be fine for the time being," he said.

_Ah_. Well it made sense that he didn't take her further away considering the shape she was in didn't allot for heavy travel. Still, Sakura felt safe. At any rate, she had someone with her who she could entrust herself to and whose strength she could rely on should anything happen.

"I'm glad you're here Kisame," she murmured, her inner thoughts escaping before she had a chance to stop them.

He paused, unsure of what to say. _'Likewise,'_ he thought, but didn't dare utter it. Whether it was from the fact that he had something to occupy with tending to her injuries, or just merely someone to talk to, whatever it was, he no longer felt that horribly about not being able to kill Sasuke, or not finding Madara.

"Eh, I'm not of much use for this type of thing though," he said instead, wondering just how efficient his amateur medical work was.

Sakura laughed through her nose.

"You're not half-bad as a nurse, but I wouldn't quit your day job," she said.

Kisame scoffed.

"Didn't plan on it. After all, I prefer to tear into flesh, not mend it."

Sakura eyed him warily.

"I think you're not as blood-thirsty as you make yourself out to be, shark."

Kisame made a sound of disagreement.

"I just kill people while you're asleep."

Sakura laughed, then became solemn remembering something. Silence drew on as she tried to think of how to word her thoughts, and if to say anything at all. She fixed her gaze on the black fabric she was laying on, and allowed herself to enjoy the slight cooling sensation of the balm Kisame was now rubbing on her shoulder.

"I know earlier..." she began, "you said you didn't kill Sasuke, but-"

"I didn't kill Sasuke because he vanished. Had that not happened, he'd be dead right now, I assure you."

Kisame felt her tense under his hands, then immediately cursed his stupidity. He didn't intend to voice his thoughts with so much bitterness, but it was too late now.

Sakura closed her eyes, remembering the Uchiha and the way he looked at her then.

"He's already dead, Kisame."

Caught off guard, the Mist nin's eyebrows slightly rose at the dead-pan comment.

"Kunoichi-"

"No. Don't. There's nothing to be said when I witnessed it first-hand," Sakura said, trying not to let her anger reveal itself in her tone.

Kisame frowned. He didn't expect this reaction from her, not when he remembered just how emotionally she had reacted when the topic of Sasuke was brought up times before. It was true, she _did_ in fact see with her own eyes how the Uchiha had changed, but regardless... It was hard to imagine anyone turning around that quickly. Whatever the reasoning, Kisame couldn't help but feel a surge of contentment at her admission.

Sakura felt the coil of heated anger twist within her as she remembered the way Sasuke looked at her, his scathing words, his ominous threats. He tried to kill her. Worse, he tried to kill her own partner- her friend- _while she watched_! She ground her teeth in disgust, feeling the urge to rip through something. How could he? She didn't want to think of the whys anymore, because no reason he could ever give would be justifiable.

"Sasuke... is no longer the person I thought," she said, this time the vehemence accenting her words clearly.

_No longer the person I thought_. Seems like that happened a lot, she thought inwardly.

"Well, Madara is nothing if not a charming manipulator. Whatever bullshit he fed Sasuke was potent enough for him to go against even Itachi's wishes," Kisame said, feeling the need to give her a reason regardless of the firmness in her tone.

In truth, he felt sort of bad for her. _Sort of_. He couldn't really relate- because luckily, he never got close enough to anyone in order to get attached- but he didn't like seeing the girl suffer so needlessly. That much he would admit to himself.

Sakura sighed, knowing what Kisame said was true. It was sad that her teammate was so easily manipulated, worst of all by the wrong people.

"Speaking of Itachi, those were his eyes weren't they..."

Kisame watched the thick balm melt into her hot skin, causing it to glisten in the candlelight.

"Unfortunately yes, seems that way. And the transplant was probably done recently because of how quickly Sasuke tired. He's clearly inexperienced."

Sakura tried not to let her anger completely take her over, thinking about just what Sasuke planned to do with his newfound power. If only... if _only_ she hadn't been so hesitant during the fight. If she thought Sasuke had no logical excuse for his behavior, then neither did she, letting him get away like that.

"Well... it looks like you were right all along Kisame," Sakura sighed, frustrated at herself.

_'I shouldn't have doubted you about Sasuke... I'm sorry. I'm sorry...'_ she wanted to say, but alas was too ashamed to admit out loud.

_'He must think I'm so childish...'_ Sakura wondered, suddenly seeing how stupid she must have seemed for her stubborn feelings when Kisame knew the truth. Still though, there was a lingering sadness about her thoughts on Sasuke, which she still couldn't fully shake.

"Well, it doesn't matter now. Neither of us expected that, which is a fault in and of itself..." he said, pausing, "But, I must say, I never thought it possible for someone to remain intact after being hit by Amaterasu."

Sakura looked down at the dusty floor, noting the slight admiration coming through in Kisame's tone.

"The rebirth technique I used wasn't ready though, but..." she trailed off, sighing as she felt more of the healing balm melt into her wounds.

"You shouldn't have risked yourself," he interjected, his frustration mainly with himself for being so careless.

He looked down at the ragged, crisp edges of skin in front of him, feeling responsible for it all. As a medic, she was taught to be a mainly evasive fighter, and he then taught her otherwise during their training together. But never did he want her to do this- to risk herself for him like a human shield. Sakura was looking up at him now, noticing the absence of his rhythmic hands on her skin.

"Kisame..." she said softly as she observed the tense muscles in his face, "This is nothing."

As if in mockery, one of the larger gashes on her shoulder split open and began to bleed again, jolting Kisame into action as he fumbled for the blood-clotting concoction. Sakura winced a little at the sudden flash of pain, but then looked unflinchingly towards the man tending to her.

"I'd do it again."

He frowned at her.

"Don't be ridiculous," he scoffed, dabbing the balm onto a new cotton ball.

"I'm serious," she retorted, her eyes searching his, hating the way he looked so... conflicted, all of a sudden. She could sense the guilt within him and she just wanted to make him understand.

To make him understand that it was okay.

"Kisame, if I had lost you to Sasuke's Amaterasu, I don't know what I would do..."

He found it difficult to think as he watched the blood soak into the cotton ball as he dabbed it onto her burnt flesh, the white slowly tinting red. He felt incredibly pathetic for having a mere girl like her come to his rescue, as it was. But at the same time, he felt gratitude- and for a man like him, such a sentiment came seldom.

"You would go on living," he responded absently.

_'You'd go on living, just like I have- over and over again.'_

She laughed sadly, and he could smell a hint of saline in the dryness of the shrine.

"No, I wouldn't. I can't live knowing that I lost someone I care about when I could have done something about it. That's no life."

Kisame almost thought Sakura was referring to Sasuke, but he was quick to realize she in fact meant him. She _cared_, and although he knew that to some degree, hearing her speak so firmly about her choice even after seeing what it did to her, made his breath hitch in his throat. He sensed no regret in her voice- nothing to lead him to believe any of it was an accident. Kisame struggled within himself, trying to pinpoint why exactly he was feeling so uncomfortably perturbed by it all. Her actions shouldn't have been bothering him so much- she was free to do what she wanted with herself after all. He closed his eyes briefly recalling his upbringing again.

"You can't be a shinobi if you're going to be like that kunoichi," he said flatly.

"You can't be a human if you don't," she retorted bitterly.

Kisame's eyes darkened over, her words striking a chord within him. He wanted to point out that one was more important than the other, but now, he felt like he no longer knew for sure.

Sakura rested her chin on her arm, facing straight ahead with her eyes closed as if recalling something. A slight smile appeared on her face.

The image she had of Kisame now, was so different than when she first laid eyes on him, fearful of his monstrous appearance. Then, she had no clue that she would be jumping into the line of fire for him- for this _man_. She changed her perceptions of him even before he saved her from Kabuto's lab. And then the smile faded as she realized Kisame was more of a human being now than Sasuke was. The thought chilled her to the bone, and goosebumps erupted on her skin as the disturbing realization ebbed through her.

"Sasuke... Sasuke's dead because he lost that humanity," she said after a pause.

He knew what she meant, because Itachi had once said something similar. But he didn't say anything, letting the girl sort through her thoughts on her own. There was probably a lot she would need to confront in order to fully resolve her feelings about Sasuke, so he gave her that space. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have hesitated to call them out on their stupidity- their foolishness for living in a fairy-tale fantasy about someone who only had revenge and murder on the brain. It really _was_ absurd, but there was no way he'd ever give the girl a hard time about it with petty _'I told you so's'_. No, if anything he owed her. He owed her whatever solace he could offer because she gave him the ultimate thing after all.

How funny that not too long ago, he was ready for this same girl to cut his life short.

His lip quirked upwards a bit as he thought about the irony therein. Sakura just wouldn't let him die, and somehow during their time spent together, her sentiments rubbed off on him and the feeling became mutual. His younger self would have cringed, and he smirked at the thought.

He spent the rest of the hour dressing Sakura's arm according to her instruction, the time passing by in relative silence as both shinobi mulled over their thoughts alone.

He spoke up after tying a final, secure knot around the bandage.

"How's that, kunoichi?"

Sakura was near-asleep when the sudden voice caught her attention.

"Hm? Oh," she murmured, glancing over to her injury. The arm her head was resting on was completely numb now, but she didn't pay much heed.

"Feels better- doesn't burn as much," she said, testing how it felt as she moved her shoulder a little.

"Oh, _ow_, yeah I won't be doing that anytime soon," she said regretfully.

"Yeah, take it easy. I don't wanna make this something you get used to."

Sakura laughed a little, her melancholic thoughts from earlier dissipating.

"Well, I don't know about you but I've worked up an appetite," Kisame said, rising to his feet. It wasn't so much hunger he felt, but rather a needed break from depressing themes.

Sakura gazed up at him.

"Mhm, I'm freaking starving."

Sakura realized now though, more than food, she wanted a bath. Staying cooped up for two days in a humid, stuffy shack was clearly not making her feel very fresh. But then again, she couldn't really move on her own, and there was just no way she was going to ask Kisame to...

_'No,'_ she told herself firmly. She would just have to tough it out until her chakra came back and she healed- Kisame's precious nose be _damned_.

With a rueful sigh, the girl turned her head, only to notice said man had already left, leaving her to conjure up creative ways to carry out personal hygiene without having to move much. He came back inside quickly enough, arms full of something that smelled insanely good.

He placed his parcel on a piece of paper on the ground, and proceeded to look Sakura over, as if admiring his bandage work.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you wanted to eat me," she said, neck craned as she tried to get a look at the food he brought in. It had a nice roasted aroma and as if on cue, her stomach growled.

Kisame chuckled, walking the couple paces over to her side.

"Fortunately for you, I don't like my meat burnt," he said and crouched down.

"_Ha-ha_. Now help me get up."

He held her by the sides of her ribcage, pulling her up gently until she was on her knees. She winced as the blood circulated through her arms, causing that annoying prickle of pins and needles to course through the limp flesh. She sucked in a breath as she felt a twinge of pain run through her arm, but ignored it quickly, the thought of eating her main priority. Kisame held her awkwardly, unsure of whether she was alright in her current position.

"You good like this?"

She nodded.

He let her go, and she slowly and carefully crossed her legs, noticing the muscles there ached something fierce also.

_'Ugh, I might as well be a vegetable,'_ she inwardly groaned, hating how useless she was.

But Kisame was being oddly pleasant, so at least she didn't have to worry about that. She looked over at the pile of fish now between them as they sat facing one another.

"Dig in," he said, wasting no time himself.

Sakura grabbed a piece, noticing he had roasted the meat likely while she was out. It was cold now, but the first bite made her mouth water as she realized just how hungry she was. Dismissing all formality she tore in.

Kisame grinned at her fiendishly.

"What. Shut up," she said flatly, between mouthfuls, not caring how beastly she probably looked.

"Didn't say anything... Just that tearing into meat like a rabid hyena suits you, pinkie."

Sakura tossed a fish tail at him.

_'At least that sassy little attitude remained intact,'_ he thought with a grin.

"By the way, props for setting up the romantic ambiance," she mentioned, glancing around.

"Yeah? Thanks, I tried my best," he replied, chewing thoughtfully as Sakura realized he was eating the fish whole- bone, head, tails and all. She decided to ignore it for now considering her own table-manners were questionable as well.

"Yeah, candle-light dinner served on..." she paused, squinting down at the paper the fish sat on, "on a _map_, of all things. Creative! Now I can enjoy my food _and_ learn about Jiro's topography while I'm at it."

"Mhm, I know how badly you suck with maps and directionality in general so I thought I'd help you out."

Sakura actually laughed, holding a hand over her mouth so as not to spit fish all over Kisame. For some reason, the whole situation was humorous, and she didn't care for being sad right now.

"Well, _thanks_ then Mister Thoughtful. Look at you go, being a nurse, chef, geography instructor- and all in one night."

"Mm, don't stop there."

_'Also funny, loyal, reliable...'_ she continued in her head, smiling as she looked at him.

After a while he noticed her looking, and she blushed a little, turning away and feeling a little foolish.

Something inside of him tightened as he looked upon her, but he brushed it off as they finished eating in relative silence.

.-.-.-.

"Tatsu, come," a calm, feminine voice rang out amidst the dull patter of rain on windows.

The addressed shuffled in quickly, bowing down to the indigo-haired woman, her usual stoic calmness visibly disturbed by something.

"Leader-sama," he answered, awaiting his orders.

"What of that scouting party I sent out? Any word?"

"No, Leader-sama, none yet."

The woman rose from her chair, her hands splayed on the desk in front of her. Pale skin slowly dispersed into thin white sheets, the shuffling sound mimicking the rain from outside. The papery sheets folded themselves accordingly as they were plucked from her body, each turning into a carefully formed butterfly.

"Leader-sama..." the Ame jonin said, fascinated by the scene.

"I will try once again," she said, the paper butterflies knowing their course without any word from her. She glanced at Tatsu.

"If you hear from the scouts, I am the first to know," she ordered, and with that the man bowed once more and was dismissed.

Konan turned around, and gazed mournfully out the grey landscape through the windows surrounding her. Her brows knit in concern, she stood watching tiny specks of white fly out and towards one she hoped they'd soon reach.

.-.-.-.

"Five minutes."

"Screw you and your five minutes, I need at least like twenty!"

"_Five_."

Sakura huffed, glaring at the incredibly stubborn and totally unreasonable six-foot-something man hovering over her. He gave her one last look of warning and walked away leaving Sakura at the riverbank to somehow manage getting completely clean within five minutes.

_'Yeah, like hell I'll listen to your sharky ass,'_ she murmured to herself and proceeded to disrobe.

It had been three days since the battle with Sasuke, and she was healing relatively quickly. The problem with her chakra still remained, as the speed of regeneration crawled by at a snail's pace. Her arm was only better because of Kisame's constant attention- well, in accordance to her instruction- but still, the girl would admit she was grateful.

But that didn't mean she couldn't feel annoyance at his overbearing attitude concerning allowed bathtime. She scoffed in irritation, and quickly dipped into the water, in case the man was lingering around nearby.

_'Not like he hasn't seen you half-naked anyway,'_ she muttered to herself, then wondered why the hell the thought didn't disturb her as much as it should have.

Sakura ducked under the chilly water, lifting her bandaged arm above the surface as she lathered up some body wash and got to work. As she scrubbed the grime away, Sakura took a moment to think about what exactly they were going to do next. She wasn't able to go anywhere in her still-fragile condition, but neither of them really mentioned anything about what would happen once she was healed up enough to travel again. Sakura paused, raking a hand through her locks, a little saddened.

They still didn't know where Madara was. Sasuke had apparently vanished, and would likely not be back to the same spot on the island again, so they really had no leads. And then there was the whole thing with Konoha thinking she was on a stake-out mission elsewhere, and god only knew how many days late she was in returning back home.

Sakura groaned as she tilted her head back, washing the soap from her hair. She hated to think that she had lied- _again_- to everyone in Konoha and now had nothing to even show for it. No Madara, no Sasuke.

_'Definitely no Sasuke,'_ she thought with a sigh.

It had been rough the past few days with the dreams and flashbacks of their fight. In her own way, she mourned him, but the resentment towards the Uchiha only grew with each day.

One thing was clear to her though; he had to die.

Sakura's eyes saddened a little, but not for Sasuke.

_'Naruto...'_

He would be devastated to see Sasuke in the way she saw him. The girl ran her hand over the bandages on her arm remembering just what he did. She felt that heated anger course through her veins and gritted her teeth.

_'No, Naruto you will remember Sasuke the way he was,'_ she thought, firm in her aim to take the Uchiha's life.

When and where that would happen would be resolved when she was better, but now, she had other things to worry about.

And as if on cue, she felt that annoyingly predictable presence approach, and the girl quickly sank low into the water, enough to cover her chest and preserve her modesty.

Kisame walked up to the bank looking down at the soapy mess of girl defiantly glaring up at him.

He tried to look into her eyes and not be distracted by the pleasant curves of the tops of her breasts as she crossed her arms.

"I'm not done," she said.

"Too bad."

He secretly wondered how she would react if he hauled her up just like that and took her back by force. On second thought, it really didn't require much guesswork.

"Kisame you seriously have to stop this; I'm not going to _drown_! Just go back and let me take care of myself, ugh!"

"Your chakra is extremely low kunoichi, and we are in unfamiliar territory," he said, opening his mouth to say more, but then deciding against it.

The truth was, he didn't like this island. It was suspiciously uninhabited and still quite close to the one they found Sasuke on. But he didn't want to freak the girl out just yet, so he continued to try coaxing her out of the water.

"Out, kunoichi."

"Make me, shark."

He gave her a look of challenge, as she defiantly lathered up more soap and proceeded to ignore him.

He grinned and grabbed Samehada off his back, pointing it down towards her.

"Fine, I'll take what little chakra you've regenerated and enjoy the next few days in peace as you lay passed out, naked, and at my mercy no less," he said with a wide, toothy grin.

Sakura made a look of disbelief.

"You wouldn't..."

_'Oh god he would,'_ she thought woefully, taking note of that smug little smirk he was giving her.

"I hate you," she said, dunking herself in the water once more and swimming towards the grassy bank.

He just snorted at the little victory.

"Turn around at least, _god_," Sakura complained, snatching up her clothes as he complied.

"By the way you should be thanking me, there are carnivorous sea creatures in the waters around here," he said casually, back facing her as he listened to the shuffling of cloth behind him.

"Yeah, like you?"

"Maybe..."

"Joy. I just can't seem to escape from your tyranny."

"Heheh, try not to die of excitement."

Sakura smirked, not knowing why his protective behavior was suddenly kind of cute. Kind of.

She dressed herself quickly and wrung out her still-sudsy hair.

_'Overbearing tyrant or not, at least he hasn't abandoned me,'_ she thought with a smile, and stepped towards him.

They spent the rest of the day with a quiet, unidentifiable tension between them. Sakura took the time to do some simple chakra exercises in order to regenerate quicker while Kisame was out scouting and looking for supplies. The loaded question of Madara still hung in the air, but neither of them made any attempt to talk about it. By dusk, Sakura had already went to sleep, exhausted from her light training, with Kisame leaning against the wall next to her.

Well into the night though, the shark man still couldn't sleep. Light snoring came from the kunoichi curled on the floor next to him and he took a moment to observe her. The moonlight filtering through the trees outside the shrine shone on her face, accenting her soft features. Kisame was restless, and somehow deep down, he knew it was because of this girl. They had already been at the shrine for three days, and her chakra was coming back slowly but surely. Soon, they would leave.

Soon, _she_ would.

Kisame tilted his head back against the wall, resting his arms lazily over his bent knees as he listened to her steady breaths among the chirping of crickets.

Considering that everything was a tangled mess when it came to their mission, it didn't really feel like it. It felt so... comfortably normal that it was almost concerning. He let out a sigh, wondering just what was happening and why he couldn't think straight.

He rose up from his seat quietly, taking Samehada from its usual resting place. He glanced once more at the kunoichi, taking in her small form against his coat as she turned the other way. He noticed the flimsy heart-patterned pyjama shirt she wore had ridden up her back, exposing her skin to the elements. Kisame paused for a moment and then stepped forward, bending and pulling the material down gently so he wouldn't wake her.

Well, she would catch cold otherwise, and _really_, he had enough on his hands as it were.

With a slight shake of his head, the man turned and walked out of the small shrine and into the night. A few complicated hand seals later, and the barrier was erected again, hopefully shielding the space from any possible intruders. Kisame glanced around and headed out, hoping to clear his mind.

He leapt into the trees to the north, not really sure where he was going, just anywhere for now. As he travelled through the trees, he couldn't shake the strange prickle of anxiety down his spine. He stopped for a moment, leaping up into a tree and listening, as he sifted out any peculiar noises aside from the normal forest sounds. Sensing nothing out of the ordinary, he continued, Samehada now in his hand.

A while later into his trek, Kisame realized dawn was starting to peek up on the horizon and he cursed his carelessness. Now he would be tired and feeling even more edgy during the day. Great.

He looked ahead, squinting his eyes as a strange change in air manifested. Samehada shifted in his grip as his suspicions rose.

_'I feel it too...'_ he thought, and headed towards the source of whatever was troubling him.

As a rogue ninja, Kisame knew all too well that instinctive tug within him the closer he got- hunter nin. Leaves rustled as he stopped on a branch, trying not to pant from how quickly he travelled. He wished now that he had not worn anything on top because even his short-sleeved shirt was damp with perspiration. Ignoring his own woes for the moment, Kisame refocused his attention on the unexpected company. Unable to pinpoint who or what they were from his vantage point, the Mist nin continued onwards at a slower and more careful pace until he was close. His chakra was masked but no trained hunter nin would miss him if he came any closer, so he stayed back, trying to get a better look from where he was.

The smell of campfire and roasting food was obvious, but something else on the air was particularily interesting because this scent he recognized... even if it was faint. Kisame closed his eyes, trying to focus more sharply, but it wouldn't come to him.

Well, it didn't matter. It was a band of about five from what he could tell, and Kisame decided to take them out. After all, he was feeling a little deprived.

But as he pondered the thought of bloodshed, Kisame noticed something glint towards him from the corner of his eye. He turned, and saw a flashing light off in the trees away from the campsite.

_'A signal?'_

Noting the glinting was aimed towards him and not the group of camping shinobi, Kisame didn't hesitate any further and stealthily made his way towards the source.

As he approached, it didn't take long before recognition dawned. He frowned as he stepped in front of the ninja hidden behind a bush.

"You're kidding..." Kisame grumbled, brushing some foliage aside with his sword to get a better look at the crouching man.

"I knew it!" he whispered heatedly at the looming shark-man.

"The hell are you doing here?" Kisame asked, realizing now why the smell was familiar. It was the kid Taiki from Amegakure. The kid whose clothes he burned and sent home with his tail between his legs. Kisame holstered Samehada on his back. He wouldn't be needing it.

"I knew it was you!" the blonde repeated, replacing his forehead protector back onto his head. "We were sent out to look for Sakura after she didn't come back from her mission. Where is she?"

Kisame glared down at the younger ninja, wondering just why he had all the bad luck lately. He crossed his arms and scoffed.

"How did you end up on this island?" he asked.

"A pink-haired girl isn't exactly hard to miss you know... People talk. And by the way, that mess over on the other island wasn't subtle either."

_'Probably that sleazy Boss bastard. Shit,'_ Kisame thought inwardly, _'I knew I should've killed him.'_

Promptly he bent down and grabbed Taiki by the vest.

"I don't appreciate the attitude kid, now tell me what exactly you were planning to do once you found the kunoichi."

Taiki gulped, a wave of unpleasant memories washing over him as he looked at the dangerous slanted eyes boring into his.

"W-well... we just want her back. It's not a hit mission o-or anything."

Kisame loosened his grip a little, and glanced back towards where the rest of the Konoha nin were camped out.

Frankly, he just wanted to kill them all here and now, and be done with it.

But...

But they were Konoha shinobi and so was someone else whose feelings he was starting to kind of give a damn about. Well there went the nice prospect of some fresh blood spillage. He really fucking needed a drink.

"Here's what's gonna happen- you're going to go tell your buddies that you got a lead on a different island and you're going to get the hell out of here, understood?"

Taiki glared into Kisame's pearly eyes with as much bravery as he could muster.

"_N-no_. Sorry, but I know you're hiding Sakura somewhere and we're not leaving without her. It was a direct order from the Hokage!"

Kisame refrained from growling at the defiant kid and just flashed his teeth menacingly.

Taiki gulped at the sharp teeth, realizing just how dangerous the man was. He was the famed Monster of the Mist after all.

"W-what did you do to her?"

"She's fine," Kisame said, all of this bothering him now.

And perhaps it bothered him because once he handed her over, she would leave him. He clenched his jaw and let go of Taiki, his thoughts spiralling through his mind like a runaway train.

She needed this though, and he owed her that much. Kisame ran a hand through his spiked navy hair, remembering Sakura's injury and what happened with Sasuke. It must have taken quite a toll on her, and to go home was the only logical thing left to do. They didn't finish their mission and they couldn't now because they just didn't have the time or intel. If Konoha hunter ninja were already sent out, then it meant that she was in trouble as it was. Any longer, and her status would upgrade to the one he had.

Kisame sighed.

"Well? Please sir, can I see her? Please. I won't tell the others, I promise."

The shark-man rolled his eyes and gave the trembling Taiki a displeased look. At least he was _trying_ not to look like he was about to shit his pants.

"She's asleep now, but I wanna have a little chat anyway," Kisame said, motioning for Taiki to get up.

"Go tell your friends you're going for a swim."

The younger man didn't waste any time and headed towards the camp, returning shortly after as the two then headed back towards the shrine.

Kisame felt a dreadful regret with every step. He knew that Sakura was due back for Konoha after she healed, but still. Deep within, he felt like their time was cut short. Despite the three months spent in one another's company, he wanted her to stick around for just a bit longer.

He glanced at the ninja leaping from branch to branch alongside him.

_Technically_, he could kill the idiot kid right now and no one would ever know.

_Technically_, he could take Sakura to Konoha himself. Considering the caliber of hunter shinobi these days, she would be in much better hands with him. _Honestly_.

Kisame decided to stop that train of thoughts from escalating any further.

"Give me news about the state of affairs in the Shinobi World," he demanded, deciding to opt for politics instead of... pink haired kunoichis. For now.

"Uh..." Taiki hesitated, clearly wondering how wise that would be considering who he would be divulging the information to. The anxious confusion was plastered all over his face and Kisame tried not to groan in frustration.

"Kid, I could knock your head off just by flicking my pinkie, just answer the damn question."

Taiki remembered just how no-bullshit this guy was, and proceeded to talk.

"Um, well. It's not looking good. Most of the Akatsuki have been... err, eliminated, but Madara is now the biggest threat. There's been talk of him being the one to capture the Hachibi."

"The Hachibi?" Kisame repeated, surprised.

That particular jinchuriki was a surprisingly strong one from Lightning, and was reserved for himself and Itachi to capture during their time in Akatsuki. Zetsu couldn't do it alone- if he was still alive even- and there was nobody else left other than Madara himself. Well, him or Sasuke, but considering Sasuke was way down south and Madara wasn't with him, the answer was apparent.

_'That bastard might still be near Lightning Country,'_ Kisame thought inwardly, mental gears turning as he considered his next destination.

Eventually they reached the area of forest which housed the tiny, run-down shack and they stopped. Dawn was now steadily casting its light over the greenery, and the early morning heat was already starting to climb. Kisame rubbed his shoulder as he felt his tired muscles start to ache. Today was really going to suck.

"I wouldn't wake her up," Kisame said, motioning towards the door, "she's not a morning person."

Taiki gave him a curious look and then inched quietly towards the door as Kisame sat on a patch of grass, dispelling the barrier. He closed his eyes and tried not to think.

Shortly after, Taiki padded back and leaned against a tree, eyeing Kisame warily.

"You convinced I didn't eat her now?"

"What? I-I didn't- I never, um-"

"Anyways, tell me about the Kyuubi kid. Where is he?"

"Naruto? Why?"

Kisame rolled his eyes.

"Because I want to catch up on old times."

Taiki looked at the shark-man with pure confusion.

"I can't tell when you're joking sometimes."

Kisame stared at him for a few drawn out seconds wondering just how he was so dense. Some people never understood his sarcasm. _Others_ though...

He smirked, then quickly set his face back into one of irritated boredom as he resumed his little talk with Taiki.

"Is Naruto in Konoha now?"

"Uh, I don't really know him personally, but I haven't seen him in a while."

Kisame sighed. If Konoha had information about the Hachibi's capture, their main focus should be keeping Naruto within its defensive walls and calling up any alliances they had. The Kyuubi was always to be the hardest and last to capture for Akatsuki, and knowing Madara, it held symbolic significance as well. If the Hachibi really was captured, then Madara and the remaining Akatsuki would have their hands full for the next few days sealing the tailed-beast. Even when sealed, he would wait before going for Naruto; he was many things, but the Uchiha mastermind wasn't a fool, especially not with the shortage of henchmen. And to Kisame's knowledge, he was still physically incomplete- what that entailed though, he was unsure of.

Still, it was kind of good news- there was time. He still had time to go after him.

Taiki broke him out of his thoughts.

"What were you guys doing out here anyway? Why was Sakura not on the mission she was sent on?"

Kisame grunted in displeasure, not feeling like getting into it right now. Right now, he needed some time to think. He waved a hand of dismissal in the younger ninja's direction.

"I'm going for a swim, you can stick around and wait for the girl to wake up and ask her yourself, or you can leave and return in the morning. Either way, no pulling any stupid shit or I'll come after you."

Taiki crossed his arms, a little hurt at the way he was being ignored.

"I'll wait here," he said, but Kisame was already gone.

.-.-.-.

As Kisame padded back to the shrine after his swim, he noticed a familiar scent on the air, and increased his pace. When he neared the small building, he noticed Sakura sitting on the front steps, her arms dangling on her knees, and swinging something lazily in her hands. Her expression was distant as if she were someplace else. He paused, running a hand through his hair, remnants of water dripping down his arm as he wondered just how many hours he'd been gone. By the look on her face, Taiki had already talked with her. Kisame tested the air, noting the younger man had left.

"Sit with me," Sakura said, still focused on nothing at all.

Kisame paused for a moment, then walked a few paces forward and seated himself on the same step she was on. He looked towards the trees ahead of them, hoping to see just what was so captivating. He felt something bump against his arm.

Looking down his shoulder, he noticed a bottle offered to him and he looked at Sakura quizzically. Her chin was in her hand, gaze still lingering on something ahead, but he slowly took the bottle from her, not really sure what to say.

"It was supposed to be our victory drink," she said rather casually considering the dark context.

He took the ceramic bottle in his hands and looked at it, thinking about the far-away concept of victory now.

"Maybe you should hold on to it then," he said.

Sakura glanced at him inquisitively.

"You know, for when it happens," he clarified, "No point drinking a victory drink if there's nothing to celebrate."

She chuckled warmly, bracing her arms back against the steps and stretching her legs out in front of her. Kisame watched in fascination as whatever detached aloofness there was about her melted away with that laughter.

"Don't be silly Kisame."

He quirked a brow in confusion, but then noticed the way she looked at her injured arm and he understood.

"To being alive," he said with a smirk, then tipped back a drink, passing it back to the girl next to him.

Sakura made a sound in agreement, and swished the bottle in her hand, thinking.

"To... to doing it right the next time," she said, and then took a swig herself.

_'Next time,'_ Kisame repeated inwardly, the words pleasing him more than they probably should have.

Sakura passed the alcohol back to the man and cleared her throat.

"By the way, this reminds me; you still haven't decided on that ancient bet," she said.

Kisame smirked and took a moment to observe her, the yellow light filtering through the trees washing her in its warmth. She looked happy, but somewhat unreachable still. Her tongue passed over her lips, licking up remnants of the sake and Kisame felt a strong pull towards her. Remembering what she said concerning that bet, he almost considered asking her for a taste of those lips.

The man blinked away his thoughts, taking another drink as he tried to clear his mind.

_'Where the hell did that come from,'_ he wondered mentally, hastily passing the bottle back.

"Hmm, lucky for you I'm out of ideas," he said with a shrug, his mind telling a different story.

"Aw, too bad. Here I was hoping to end our time together with something super embarrassing to hate you for," she said jokingly, shooting back another shot.

Kisame chuckled, hoping to distract himself from how he felt when she mentioned their time ending. Soon, she would be gone, and there wasn't much he could do about that.

He ran a hand through his spiked hair, wondering when exactly that became of such concern.

"So I take it the Taiki kid gave you the good news?" he said, taking another drink and letting the alcohol swish around in his mouth as he waited for her answer.

Sakura sighed.

"Yeah," she said trying not to sound as disappointed as she felt. From what Taiki had told her about the hunter nin, she was going to have her hands beyond full when she got back to Konoha. She glanced at Kisame as he passed the bottle back, and wished he could just come with her. The aftermath of whatever she was up against back home was going to be hard without someone like him to lean on. The thought startled her a little, and she tipped back a drink, wondering just when Kisame became her rock. Well, they _had_ spent all these months together, and to suddenly part... well, it was just natural that she feel this weird separation anxiety.

_'Right?'_ she questioned inwardly, hoping that it was just temporary. Or the booze.

Before she had any more time to think on the matter, a clear chakra presence came heading their way, interrupting their afternoon drinking session.

Sakura felt a tightness in her stomach as she watched Taiki come through some trees casting the peaceful atmosphere in a dreary one with his presence.

He stood there, catching his breath for a moment, unaware of his unwelcome intrusion. Sakura placed the half-empty bottle on the wooden steps and rose up, picking up her bag and hoisting it on her shoulder.

"Ready to head home?" Taiki asked her with a smile, wondering why it was so quiet.

Sakura glanced at Kisame's still-seated form and then back to the blonde.

"Can you give us a minute?"

He blinked, then nodded awkwardly.

"Yeah, uh, I'll go make myself a snack," he said and promptly headed off to give the two some privacy.

After a moment, Sakura turned, and Kisame rose up, dusting his pants off.

There was a strange thickness to the air between them, and neither knew what to say. Sakura's insides felt like a constricting mess, and she didn't know if the alcohol had helped reduce or inflame the sensation, but it was almost making her feel sick.

Kisame just stood observing her, trying to think of something to say amidst the chaos running through his mind.

She was about to leave him once again, and frankly, it left him feeling emptier than he ever could have imagined. All the comfortable moments spent in each others company were now seemingly reduced to an awkward silence and a strange void between them, begging to be filled. He stood staring at her, still unsure of what to say, instead taking in how she looked, because _damnit_, he quite liked when she pulled her hair up like that. Her forehead really wasn't that big, and in _fact_ it sort of suited her. And then there were the lips, because now she sucked in her lower one and Kisame couldn't tear his shark-like eyes away. Then he noticed that the object of his scrutiny was about to speak and he sprang back to attention.

"Kisame..." she began, no longer worrying her lip, but her rigid posture an obvious giveaway of her... nervousness was it?

"Kisame," she tried again, licking those magnetic lips of hers, "don't you dare think of going after Madara alone. Please. Just promise me that."

He was about to question her, but then stopped himself. He hadn't really thought about exactly _where_ he would go after they parted ways, but he knew ultimately, killing Madara was his goal. Getting additional intelligence on the matter was priority, and then the next step was the kill. If that so happened to be sooner than later, then he wouldn't miss the opportunity. But he wasn't going to ruin this.

"I won't."

She visibly un-tensed, smiling a little.

In that moment, Kisame realized that he dreaded the thought of never seeing that small emotion play out on her face. Perhaps the measly amount of alcohol he ingested was suddenly making him soft, but he didn't bother denying the fact. The thought of alcohol reminded him of something, and he spoke before he got a chance to reconsider.

"Hm, about that bet..." he began, as he thought of the right words, "how about... vow to meet with me again."

Sakura's eyebrows rose in surprise at the man's request. He grinned at her in his usual way, but the depth of meaning in his words shook her and made her breath hitch. _He wants to see me again_. He cares. It shouldn't have been so shocking, but the fact remained that Kisame never really admitted to enjoy having her around. Yeah, by now it was sort of assumed that he didn't consider her a walking corpse like he did most people, but _still_. Now that he vocalized his desire to want to see her again, Sakura couldn't help but be overwhelmed by his words. She smiled widely, then shook her head lightly.

"You wasted it," she said with a small laugh, "You wasted the bet."

Because she would have agreed to his terms regardless.

Kisame watched as Sakura fidgeted with the hem of her pink over-skirt, her eyes averting from his as if suddenly his gaze made her shy.

_'No, I didn't waste it.'_

"Those are my terms, kunoichi," he said, crossing his arms for added effect.

Sakura smirked, then sighed melodramatically, going along with the little game.

"_Alright_, I guess," she said with mock-exasperation, "I promise. I promise we'll see one another again."

Kisame chuckled at the girl and her terrible acting.

"By the way, that includes keeping yourself alive in the meantime. No pulling any stupid bullshit- I know that will be an _incredibly_ hard feat for you," he added, glancing towards her arm and the way her hand grazed it instinctively.

"Alright, alright! Geez, you sure know how to back someone into a corner," the girl responded with a laugh.

_'Man, I'm going to miss you,'_ she thought inwardly. He already seemed so far away, and it was hard to imagine how the next few days would play out without him at her side.

Sakura looked at him longingly, clinging to this image here and now because with what Taiki told her about the rising threat of possible war, who knew what the future held. Who knew if fate would allow another meeting for a Konoha medic and former Swordsman of the Mist to take place. That hard truth pulled at her heartstrings, and Sakura just wanted to prolong this moment for as long as possible before the demands of life took their course.

She felt an itch in her feet propel her forward, as if pulled by a magnetic force. She hesitated after a few paces, but then abandoned all inhibition due to the twisting knot of pressure deep within her as she looked up at the man right in front of her. She stood just mere inches away from him, noting how odd it felt to be so close to him even after such a long time in his company. And had he always been so tall? She tilted her head back slightly to look up at him, but then turned to the side in case she lost her nerve.

Instead, the side of her cheek pressed against his chest as she closed the remaining distance between them and wrapped her arms around the Mist nin. Kisame almost tripped backwards at the sudden and unexpected gesture, but as the girl's arms slowly wrapped tighter around his mid-section, his body acted of its own accord, returning the embrace. The arms at his sides moved up and wrapped around her, noticing just how small she really was as he held her for the first time. Nothing about them was similar in a physical sense, but now that Sakura was in his arms, he realized how nicely she fit there. She sank her head deeper against him, feeling completely secure and warm, and never wanting to leave. She didn't expect a simple hug to feel this way, but the longer she held on to him, the harder it felt to let go.

So she stayed, enjoying how the man smelled- smooth, dark and rugged. And he too bent his head down to get one last taste of her own scent. He inhaled, his hand on her back rising up towards her hair and bringing it towards his nose. That annoyingly impractical shade of hair was going to haunt him for nights to come, but he didn't care. He wanted to remember her properly, at the very least.

Goosebumps erupted over her body as Sakura felt his hand travel up and into her hair, and suddenly a warm urge manifested itself in her. She wanted something more- to say something, _do_ something- and that sobering realization hit her all-too quickly for her own taste. She slowly withdrew from her tall companion, her hands reluctantly returning to her side as their eyes locked onto one another.

_'Damn.'_

It was over so soon. Just like always.

Kisame looked at the girl, hoping to engrave everything about her into his memory.

"I'll see you soon kunoichi," he said after a while, grinning that usual toothy grin. It took all of his effort to look so unaffected when inwardly he was anything but.

Sakura chuckled at him softly, happy that he could give her such hope- happy that at least he felt the same way as she did.

"Yeah, Kisame. Take care of yourself."

She hugged one arm around her waist, the other brushing a hair behind her ear. She smiled at him, almost unable to control her own expressions.

_'Wow, I really will miss you,'_ she said inwardly, as she watched him turn.

_"_Bye_..."_ Sakura whispered mostly to herself, her feet itching to go after him as she was used to- to fall in step with him, and talk about menial things and go off in search of new foes.

Her face contorted in sadness, the bandaged Samehada on Kisame's back becoming smaller and smaller as he retreated further away from her. Then without turning, he waved a hand in goodbye and was gone.

She had expected to be sad after their departure, but never had she imagined it would hurt this much. Her insides were a tangled mess, tight with some sort of ache she just couldn't shrug off. Despite their mutual desire to see one another again, who knew if and when it could actually happen. Any amount of things could occur between now and whenever that next encounter would be, and the thought saddened her even more.

_'But we promised,'_ she reassured herself inwardly.

_'I will see him one day. I _will_, goddamnit.'_

The vacant, aching feeling in her heart wouldn't subside because all she thought about was the way his strong arms felt around her, and now there was nothing. The rock supporting her had vanished, leaving her wobbly on her knees. She was alone again.

But _no_, she didn't want to think about that now because it would just increase her longing for him. No, now she had to get back to Taiki and refocus her attention on what she would be doing in Konoha once they returned.

She let out a shaky sigh, and then turned towards the shrine, but not before looking once more into the distant trees where her blue-skinned companion left her. Then she made her way back towards Taiki.

It didn't take long, and she was glad that he hadn't followed her, because he was sitting and comfortably enjoying some food.

"You ready?" he said between mouthfuls of his rice.

"Yeah," she replied, sounding more depressed than she had expected.

And Taiki noticed because he looked up at her, his bright blues searching her face curiously.

"What? Finish up and let's go," she said irritably, hating how optimistic he looked in spite of her inner turmoil. Then she reprimanded herself for being so unfair. After all, he didn't deserve it.

"Sorry," she offered.

"Geez Sak, you gotta stop being so defensive all the time."

Sakura sighed and picked up her bag, doing a quick glance around in case she left anything behind. Trying not to think too deeply about that, she waited for Taiki to pack up and they made their way towards Konoha.

_'Back towards home,'_ she thought, looking behind one last time.

* * *

**A/N:** Aw, my babies are apart again! :{ But I loved writing this one- I think they're finally realizing how much they care for one another. I know everyone was probably expecting a kiss to happen, but I decided it was still early. Anyway, I have a lot written for the next chapter, so I'll probably update soonish. If you really want to be constructive and super-awesome in your reviews, please tell me which part(s) were your favourite in the chapter! I love when people point stuff like that out, because it lets me know what I should write more of. Also, I hope there wasn't any confusion with the Konan part. Basically, all I will say is that the Konoha search party and her mysterious scouting party are totally unrelated. Anyway, adieu my lovelies- until next time~!


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** Hi guysssss! Sorry for yet another long-ass hiatus, but I guess all that matters is a chapter update, right? I can't believe there's been like 100 reviews since the last one, so keep them coming! This chapter isn't as long but I've already written the next one, so I'll post it real quick after I'm done editing. Anyway, here you go!

* * *

Rivers divided will once again meet in the ocean.

* * *

Tsunade massaged the bridge of her nose, not really knowing how to express in words her extreme disappointment and confusion in her young apprentice.

"Sakura... help me understand, please. And cut the crap this time."

The pink-haired girl flinched slightly at her mentor's tone, but stood firmly.

"I didn't carry out the mission I set out for," she said, trying not to look like a scolded child.

"Okay, so what did you do instead?"

"I went... on my own... to look for Sasuke," she half-lied. They didn't have to know about Kisame.

"_Sasuke_."

"Yes."

"And? Were you successful?"

Sakura gulped, resisting the urge to touch her arm.

"No."

Tsunade gave her a look that said, _'No kidding, what did you think?!'_

Sakura felt slightly irritated and continued.

"If I may add, I don't regret my actions in the slightest, Tsunade-shishou. If it had been Naruto instead of me, nobody would have said anything- it would've been okay. _Expected_, even. But me? I was part of that team too, you know! I wanted to do something about Sasuke and help Naruto in the process, and if I'm going to be punished for it, so be it," Sakura stated with complete resolve.

"Sakura..." Tsunade started, getting up from her chair, "the point is, you didn't have _clearance_..."

"Like I said, I will take full responsibility-"

"You lied to me! You lied directly to my face!" the Hokage yelled.

Sakura remained perfectly still, taking it in stride. She expected this after all.

"And don't think I don't notice that injury. You barely wear sweaters in winter, let alone in the summer."

The girl's eyes widened a fraction and then she grabbed her arm defensively, immediately confirming her mentor's suspicion. The older woman walked over, her heels clicking ominously on the tiled floor as she approached. Sakura braced herself.

Tsunade's eyebrows knitted together in concern as she pulled the arm of the sweater up towards Sakura's elbow, taking note that the bandages wrapping the skin underneath went beyond said joint. Her stern eyes met Sakura's apologetic green.

"It was a highly skilled Katon user- I was caught off-guard-" Sakura began, not necessarily lying.

Tsunade didn't get a chance to inquire further because loud, clearly-hurried knocking interrupted the subsequent silence.

"_What!_" Tsunade called out, her irritation clear.

"It's urgent!"

It was Shizune's voice, followed by the sound of the door swinging open, as she rushed into the room without further instruction. Tsunade had straightened, hands on her hips, waiting for what was so damn important this second, as Sakura took the moment to slide the sleeve of her sweater back down.

The black-haired woman was holding a scroll in her hand and when she noticed Sakura, she smiled briefly before setting her face in a grim expression again.

"It's Raikage, he has urgent news for you."

Tsunade frowned, then quirked her brow sceptically.

"Raikage..." she repeated slowly, grabbing the scroll and opening it.

Sakura felt slightly awkward being there, but remained fixed where she was standing. She could feel Shizune's eyes on her, likely curious as to what the hell Tsunade was yelling at her for, but right now the pink-haired medic was more concerned with why her shishou's face was gradually descending into panic.

The anxiety in the room went up tenfold as the Hokage finished reading, and closed the scroll. She laced her fingers together, and set her hands on the table in a manner depicting calmness. Sakura knew her better than that though.

"It's true. The Hachibi has been captured," she stated simply.

Sakura's heart-rate increased as the implication dawned on her. The Hachibi- a jinchuriki- currently hunted by...

Madara.

So the rumors Taiki spoke of were true. Now panic seized her, and she struggled to remain as nonchalant as possible in light of this news.

_'That's why he wasn't on Jiro Island,'_ she concluded inwardly. And if Kisame found out about Madara going to Lightning Country...

The girl gulped nervously, hoping with all her inner being that he went elsewhere. She didn't even notice Tsunade's hand waving in the air as she shooed Shizune out of the room until the door shutting met her ears.

"See? Do you _see_ why I can't just have my ninja running around AWOL while this sort of shit is piling up and causing me the kind of grief you just can't even _begin_ to imagine?" Tsunade rambled, head in hands as she went over the scroll again.

Sakura winced, guilt finally starting to emblazon its way through her conscience. Damn it all.

"I can't even keep _track_ of how many shinobi I've sent out recently. It's utter chaos, Sakura. I don't know what the hell is happening, but tension has been rising and whatever it is, I have a terrible feeling about it all," Tsunade said, spinning her chair around to face the window outside. She sighed as her gaze swept over the rooftops of their village.

Sakura remained silent, not really knowing if apologizing would be appropriate- it seemed sort of futile right now.

"Okay well, I have to go discuss this with the elders now. Hopefully- _hopefully_- the subject of _you_ won't come up," she finished, and waved the girl off. Sakura hesitated- wanting to say something, but still couldn't find the words. Instead she just left, feeling utterly crushed.

As she closed the door of Tsunade's office behind her, she leaned against it for a moment, rubbing her forehead in worry.

_'Damn, damn, damn!'_ she cursed, hating how useless everyone probably thought she was. And to compare herself to Naruto there, well, _that_ was certainly pathetic. He had proven his worth countless times, but she couldn't even do one thing right. Some time into her mental angst, a voice broke out, interrupting her.

"Sakura?"

She looked up, palm still planted on her face and noticed Kakashi standing in front of her, book in hand as usual.

"Hey, Kakashi," she said with a slight smile, glad to see him after so long, but unable to express the feeling fully due to her recent ordeal.

"What happened to you? Did everything go well with the mission?"

She noticed he had folded the book back and replaced it into his pocket as he stood, waiting for her response.

"Uh, well, not exactly," she said, trying not to groan as yet another person she admired was about to learn of her misgivings.

"Come on, let's get some food and you tell me about it."

Sakura gave him a sad smile, and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"I don't know-"

"Sakura, I know I barely ever see you around, but I still care about my former students. You look like you could use a sympathetic ear."

"Or a drink."

The silver-haired jonin laughed, and Sakura peeled herself from the door with a sigh, deciding to take him up on the offer. She didn't really talk to Kakashi that much since becoming a medic, but when the rare occasion came, he made for good company.

"Okay, let's go."

They walked out into the streets, getting the small talk out of the way as they headed towards a nearby pub. Walking in, Sakura glanced around, glad to see that there was barely anyone inside. After all, not many people drank in the afternoons around here. She smirked and sat down at a booth out of earshot from the other patrons.

They ordered their food and Sakura decided instead of alcohol to get a tea. She didn't really want to look like that much of a mess today.

Chewing on a fry, Sakura tried to sort out exactly how much she should tell the man. She wondered how he would react if she told him about Kisame and what they went through these past months and then realized just how crazy that would be. No, she would take it slow for now.

"So, what went wrong during your mission?" he asked the girl.

_'What didn't?'_ Sakura filled in, then stopped herself. No, she was done with the self-pity.

"Well, to be honest... I lied. I lied to Tsunade about where I was, and I didn't carry out the mission at all."

She took a sip of her tea as she carefully watched his one exposed eye for his reaction. He seemed unaffected so far, so she continued.

"I was actually... Well, I was looking for Sasuke," she finished, making sure to whisper the name so nobody heard.

Kakashi's eye widened, his hands on his cup flexing as he digested the news.

"Sakura..."

"I know, okay? Please don't patronize me about my decision. I get it."

The man sighed, a look of concerned pity in his eye and Sakura just wanted to scream. She knew that look- it was the one everyone gave her when talking of the Uchiha because any mention of him would cause her grief. They knew he was her weakness, and they were right. She knew it even when she thought she was over him. But now, after seeing for herself how far gone her former teammate was, Sakura knew there was no way in hell she could return to her previous mentality concerning him. Now she had knowledge and strength, and if anything her arm was proof of that.

"Kakashi," she asked, speaking quietly, "If I were to tell you something, could you keep it under wraps?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the girl warily. This didn't sound good, he decided.

"I really can't guarantee that Sakura. It depends-"

"I'm desperate. And I know that you're the only person I can ask about this..."

Kakashi's eye softened as he looked upon his former student, but she looked firm in her resolve. He would help her.

"Alright, you can trust me."

Sakura glanced around but decided elsewhere would be better to have this conversation.

"Let's finish up here and I'll tell you," she said, and Kakashi understood. Clearly, this was something big.

They ate quickly and in silence as each one mulled over their thoughts individually. After paying, Sakura suggested they head towards their old training grounds, knowing there would be nobody there to eavesdrop.

Kakashi's hands were in his pockets as he gave Sakura a sidelong glance from his position next to her. Just what was going on with his former student?

She sucked in a breath, feeling nervous.

"I... I ended up finding Sasuke."

Kakashi stopped in his tracks.

"_What_?"

Sakura looked around and motioned for them to keep walking further from town.

"Yes. I found him, and we fought," she said, rubbing her arm as they walked. She didn't look into Kakashi's face, knowing how shocked he looked at the moment.

"You _fought_ him? Physically?"

Sakura stopped and raised her sleeve, showing him her forearm.

"Nobody knows this. Just you and..." she said, stopping herself as she thought of one blue-skinned man, "Just you."

Kakashi had taken her arm in his hand, and gave her an intense look as he wondered just what the hell kind of damage was under the bandages.

"What did he do to you?"

"He used a jutsu called Amaterasu on me," she said, locking her eyes to his.

"No... no _way_..."

Sakura ignored the surprise on his face and kept walking towards the trees in the distance.

Kakashi's thoughts were in chaos. Amaterasu? But how..?

They reached a grassy patch and Sakura sat down, letting out a breath. Keeping this information bottled up inside of her for the past two days after returning was making her want to explode. She felt like an immense load was taken off of her just from telling him that much.

Kakashi sat down beside her, anxiously waiting for an explanation. What surprised him further though, was Sakura's apparent calmness. He expected tears and anguish, but she seemed relatively fine.

"So what you're telling me, is that Sasuke used Amaterasu on you and you _lived_?"

"Yes. I used a regenerative technique Tsunade had taught me."

He looked at her with admiration. He'd seen firsthand her skills as a formidable kunoichi after Tsunade's training, but who knew she could grow up to be _this_ strong?

"Anyway, that's not what's important. What's concerning is that Sasuke even _possessed_ that ability in the first place. He has the Mangekyo sharingan, Kakashi, and I think he got it from Itachi."

Kakashi leaned back on his elbows, processing all of this. He guessed it as soon as she mentioned the Amaterasu. This was hugely concerning.

"Yeah, I think you're right Sakura. And what's worse, is that confirms some suspicions I've had about Madara."

"Yeah. Sasuke is part of the Akatsuki now, Kakashi. He's been brainwashed to hate Konoha for what happened to Itachi and the rest of his clan. And it's all Madara's fault."

Kakashi looked at her with his brow knitted. How did Sakura manage to know this much? And to come out of it so seemingly sane- well clearly he had misgivings about her.

"I'm guessing he didn't tell you all of this while you fought..." he inquired.

Sakura paused, remembering that she was leaving out a big part in all of this: Kisame. If it hadn't been for him, she would still be in the dark about everything. A pang of guilt struck her as she resisted the urge to include him in her story. She frowned.

"No. Sasuke didn't tell me anything about Madara. I-I found some stuff out while I was in Amegakure," she half-lied.

Kakashi was going to add something but she interrupted him before he got a chance.

"But Sasuke... he... Kakashi, he's beyond saving. He tried to kill me without hesitation. If you saw the way that he spoke... about us, about everyone... He must be stopped, at all costs."

The jonin closed his eyes. He had really hoped it wouldn't have come to this. But the fact that Sakura- a girl whose world once revolved around the dark-haired Uchiha- could speak so bluntly about said boy's death, meant that it was true. It must have been immensely hard for her, he thought, suddenly feeling guilt creep up inside him. Perhaps if he had approached Sasuke's training differently or... Kakashi stopped himself. No, he knew how deeply rooted vengeance was. Nobody was to blame for any of it.

And also, there was another thing bothering him.

"Naruto doesn't know any of this does he?"

"No. And he _won't_," she said, a pleading look in her eyes as she looked at her former sensei.

"Don't worry, this stays between us Sakura. I never expected this from you, but I'm glad you confided in me."

"Well, I know I can trust you," she said, "Oh and, where is Naruto? I suggest we keep him in Konoha and away from any missions. This Uchiha Madara needs to capture the jinchuriki in order to gain power, and sending Naruto out will only give him that opportunity."

Kakashi was still trying to grasp Sakura's attitude on the matter, thinking he had to tread lightly where the subject of Sasuke was concerned. She seemed well-informed and strong in contrast to how he remembered. He agreed with her on the issue of Naruto though. Yes, this newfound information about Sasuke just made him a serious threat to Konoha and Naruto especially. He would have to find a way to deal with it all.

Rising up, Kakashi dusted off his pants and put his hands in his pockets.

"Naruto isn't here. He's training with Yamato elsewhere. But I'm going to agree; as soon as he returns, I'll have to find a way to keep him here."

Sakura got up as well, feeling much better about everything. She wasn't useless- if this was a way to keep Naruto safe, then whatever happened earlier wasn't a waste.

"Thanks, Kakashi."

He smiled under his mask.

"I'm proud of you Sakura. I should say for you not to risk yourself like that again, but you don't need to hear that anymore. You've become a great shinobi."

Sakura blushed a little, and then laughed softly.

"Oh come on, sensei. Don't coddle me like that."

"Well, I mean it. But anyway, now that I've heard this, I have to go and do some further investigation into some things. Like I said, nobody will know about our talk."

Sakura gave him an affirmative nod.

"Keep in touch if you find out anything new," she said.

"I will. Later," he said, clearly in a hurry now as he disappeared.

Sakura stared at the empty space which Kakashi had just occupied, and shuddered a little. Now that she had talked to someone about Sasuke, she felt like she could focus on other things.

She began heading back towards home.

.-.-.-.

The hum of thousands of tiny bubbles sweeping past him offered a welcome distraction for Kisame as he sped through the sea with relative ease. After leaving Sakura at the shrine, he just wanted to get off the island. He took his time crossing the expanse of water back towards the Tea country peninsula. He was in his shark form, merged with Samehada, relishing the speed at which he could swim. Diving deeper, Kisame enjoyed the pressure of water against his body, further distancing him from the sorry state his mind was in. The blackness of the deep sea pulled him further down, the water gradually getting colder and colder as he descended, trying to think of nothing at all.

But no matter how deep he went, he couldn't shake the ghost of Sakura's body pressed against his chest. He stopped his descent and floated in place, looking down at his torso absently.

_'This is ridiculous,'_ he thought inwardly.

This was not like him at all. The pink-haired kunoichi had grown on him, sure, but he wasn't the type to get overly attached to people. But maybe this wasn't about Sakura at all. Maybe this need for escape was overdue reaction for having failed the mission they set out on. For not getting to kill Madara like he so desperately wanted.

Deep down, Kisame knew he was just looking for excuses.

With a sigh, he channelled chakra to his legs and with a powerful push, propelled himself up towards the faint, blotchy light above. He wasn't going to do this to himself because he still had purpose, and that was to finish what he started. And perhaps when all of that was done and over with, he would go and find Sakura again. The heavy water split as he easily thrust upwards, the momentum soothing his tumultuous mind.

As he broke the surface of the water, he waited for a bit for his eyes to adjust and noticed a familiar chakra signature headed his way. Kisame summoned his sword back to his hand, gradually shifting back to his usual form. Jumping out of the water, he stood on the surface, trying to pinpoint where this chakra was located. Shielding his still-sensitive eyes from the sun, he noticed movement coming towards him and he set his jaw in preparation for whoever it was. Squinting, he heard a fluttering sound accompanying the chakra and he furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What the hell?"

A single, white paper butterfly made its way towards him, fluttering by his face when it reached him. He held out his hand and plucked it from the air, recognizing the origami object immediately. He knew of only one person who could create such things, even without the accompanying chakra which laced it. Nothing was written on its papery wings, but Kisame had the distinct feeling that this was a personal summons from Konan. He watched it flutter a few more times in his palm, then it seemed to lose its life, crumbling into nothingness through his fingers and into the sea.

For the woman to send out a part of herself like that in order to find him, it must have been serious. Kisame balled his hand into a fist, setting his gaze towards the west. He had a bad feeling about this, so he quickly set off in the direction of Rain.

.-.-.-.

"Miho, I told you to change the pan five minutes ago, hurry up! And bring me the damn electrodes already!"

Sakura rubbed her perspiring forehead with the back of her arm in frustration at her appointed assistant, watching as the inexperienced girl ran around the room in a flurry- clearly unable to find aforementioned electrodes.

"To the left, in the fourth drawer," Sakura said, looking down at her patient as she channelled chakra into his chest.

"Right away, Sakura-sama!"

"I told you to just stick with Sakura," she grumbled.

It had been a rough week for the pink-haired medic. It was bad enough after her talk with Tsunade, but after she met with the elders to discuss the Raikage's letter, Sakura got an unexpected visitor at her apartment door.

It was Shizune, looking apologetic as ever with a different kind of scroll in her hand. After Sakura invited her inside, she read over the scroll as Shizune gave her the news orally.

It was official: Sakura was no longer able to go on missions, and was to stay in Konoha indefinitely. The young kunoichi's eyes had glazed over the scroll, focusing on the printed text but unable to absorb what any of it said. All she heard was Shizune's soft, carefully worded voice as Sakura's heart gradually sank. It was done. She was to be a full-time medic in Konoha and that was that.

She was officially trapped.

As the sense of imprisonment washed over her, Shizune made quick to reassure the girl that it wasn't as bad as it sounded. The council had been lenient, really. Considering she went AWOL like that, she could've had it much worse. But to Sakura, it was like a death sentence.

_'But I promised...'_ was all that ran through her mind, unable to come to terms with the fact that according to the scroll in her hand, she would never be able to go out in the field. She would never see Kisame again.

And according to the small print at the end, if she stepped out of Konoha's gates without explicit permission from the entire council, she would be instantly branded a rogue-nin.

Sakura gulped, the thin paper in her hand trembling as reality dawned on her. No more going after Madara, nor Sasuke, nor meetings with Kisame.

"Sakura?"

Said girl stared absently at the black ink, her mind a noisy mess.

"Sakura. I know this seems harsh, but hear me out-"

"It's okay Shizune. I'm fine, really," she responded, the most artificial of smiles plastered on her face. She wanted to scream.

That was a week ago, and now, the medic was swamped with work in the hospital. The clumsy assistant assigned to her was anything but efficient, and had Sakura not been so busy, she would have wanted to punch something. In particular, something that resembled said assistant. The black-haired girl Miho really seemed oblivious to even the most basic of medical procedure, but Sakura wasn't dense.

She had observed the young assistant over the past week and her suspicions only rose with each day. Clearly, Miho was only there to spy on her. Sakura guessed she was probably in the Root division, considering how hard she tried to appear clumsy and friendly, but clearly the girl was capable judging by how easily she could disappear and reappear. But Sakura was going to play along. If anything, perhaps there was hope that with "good behavior" she would be granted leniency.

Her inner voice just scoffed at her for being so naive.

But she needed that, regardless. Without that small shred of hope, she would become utterly depressed.

So Sakura clenched her jaw and refocused on the wounded, comatose man before her. In actuality, she had barely any time to even think of her situation because the number of casualties coming through the emergency room was steadily building with each day. She was head of the ward now, and the pressure to help the more severe cases was overwhelming. Tsunade and Shizune had left earlier in the week to the Land of Iron to convene with the Raikage, and because of the influx of combat shinobi send out on missions, it meant medics went too. As a result, the hospital was short-staffed when it came to medics who could deal with severe trauma victims.

And that's what Sakura was doing with the man whose ribs were completely smashed into his chest cavity. Whatever was happening out there was getting bad judging by the injuries she was seeing. Was war really breaking out?

Sakura didn't want to think about it, because that would only mean that she would be stuck, regardless. On the rare occasion that she had a break, she would go to the other sections of the hospital and "check up" on ninja who were awake with lesser injuries and question them about what was happening. Knowing that Miho was likely listening in, Sakura kept it vague and tried to ask things in a medical context. Nothing of significant importance ever came up, but she persisted, in case any mention of Sasuke, or Madara or the Akatsuki in general came up.

...Or Kisame, but that was beyond a stretch.

Not like she could just ask, "By the way, did you happen to see a blue-skinned, half-shark man while you were out getting your ass handed to you?"

If she was right about Root keeping a watchful eye on her, then that sure as hell would raise a red flag. Sure, she was desperate, but also wiser than that.

The hardest part though, was that she didn't even know where Kisame planned to go after they had parted ways, and every time she thought about it, it only made her heart clench with nervous anxiety.

But Kisame was capable and had relatively good judgement, and Sakura sighed a little at herself for worrying so much. He wasn't stupid and knew his limits better than anyone. Most likely he was just out gathering information... for when they met again. Sakura's heart almost leapt up into her throat at the thought, but she forcibly regained her composure, focusing again on mending her patient's broken bones.

Miho came out from whatever shadows she lurked in, and silently observed as Sakura worked, fetching whatever materials the pink-haired girl needed. Hours later, and the patient was still in bad shape, but no longer hanging by a thread. Sakura was exhausted, and looked at the clock for the first time today, noting it was already past midnight.

_'Are you kidding me?'_ she grumbled mentally, pivoting on her heel as she looked around for her assistant.

"Miho!"

No answer.

Maybe she left. Maybe she was waiting. At this point Sakura really didn't give a damn, and proceeded to pull off her scrubs and do one last check-up on her patient. She left the room and found the graveyard-shift nurse so she could finally go home. Her feet hurt, her back, her neck- everything began letting itself be known as she strode down the empty hallway towards the locker rooms. It was depressing, Sakura thought, as she walked down, her steps echoing loudly. She really did love her job, but just knowing the fact that she would always be stuck in this one particular place without any fieldwork made her jaw clench. It was the whole _taking-what-you-have-for-granted-until-you-lose-it _ thing probably.

_'God Sakura, stop thinking about it already. You can't change anything,'_ she mumbled to herself, as she quickly retrieved her things and left the building.

If she personally couldn't go do something about Madara, at least Kakashi knew about the situation, and he would do what was necessary in her stead. The thought should've calmed her down some, but the girl just sighed in exasperation and continued on home. Somehow, _somehow_ she'd find a way around all of this and get to fulfill that lingering promise she made.

.-.-.-.

Konan looked up from her desk as the escort came into her office, one tall Mist nin following behind him. She rose, a great relief washing over her as she watched Kisame step into the room, drenched from the heavy rainfall outside.

"Kisame," she addressed, quickly dismissing the escort out and motioning towards a chair.

He nodded towards her, shrugging off his sword and took a seat.

"I came as soon as I received the paper butterfly. Did something happen?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

Konan sighed, and sat behind her desk, a rare expression of worry etching her usually stoic face.

"I'm glad it finally worked. I've actually been trying to reach you for weeks, unsure of where you were. But no, nothing has happened..._yet_."

Kisame ran a hand through his wet spikes, listening intently.

"You were after Madara, with Haruno Sakura, am I right?"

The man looked to the side, trying not to let his damaged pride show.

"We couldn't find him."

Konan nodded, inwardly relieved at the news.

"After you left Rain, there was an unexpected turn of events," she began, "Somehow, Zetsu managed to infiltrate the city but luckily I managed to pinpoint his chakra and he was captured."

Kisame's eyes widened a little in surprise. _Zetsu_. That was a name he hadn't heard in a while. He waited for the woman to continue.

"I had his mind searched, but as soon as we got close to knowing what he was up to, his body went rigid and he shut down. He's in Intensive Care now, but as far as we know, he's brain-dead and has been unresponsive ever since."

Well that was news indeed, Kisame thought. Amegakure had no jinchuriki and if Madara wanted Konan dead, he could've tried before- so what did he need to spy for? Kisame inhaled warily, remembering also how Sakura told him about her ordeal when she underwent the mental probe in Konoha- and how she also nearly died from the experience.

"So you don't know why Zetsu came here?" Kisame inquired after a moment.

"Well, according to what little was revealed in the mind-scan, he spent most of his time here looking through the cemeteries- searching gravestones," she said, then paused, "I fear the worst, Kisame. I fear Madara was looking for Nagato's grave..."

"The Rinnegan," he filled in, wondering why he hadn't thought of that before.

Kisame took in this new information and interlaced his fingers as he digested it.

"Yes, and if he gets his hands on it, he'll be unstoppable- regardless of how many more of the tailed-beasts he's missing."

Kisame sat there, still processing it all. She was right. He remembered just how powerful the Rinnegan's effects were, and along with the Sharingan, it would be futile going up against him. This certainly put a dent in his plans, Kisame thought.

"I heard that he captured the eight-tails, and I was going to head to Lightning in case he was still in the area, but then I got your message."

"It's a good thing I got to you in time then. We underestimated Madara. He's too strong for just one or two people to go up against."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," he said, not liking the thought, "So what do you intend to do if the bastard does come here?"

"Well, I've done some preparation if it comes to a fight, but first and foremost I've arranged to have Nagato's body cremated," she said reluctantly, as if the act would truly finalize his death, "As long as his Rinnegan is here, Madara will seek it out. Hopefully that will deter him, but I don't know for sure."

Kisame looked at her and knew what she was thinking. He knew she must have had a hard time coming to the decision to cremate Nagato's corpse, and on top of that, the looming threat of Madara coming and possibly destroying the one thing she valued more than her deceased teammates. Konan was strong- he knew that much- but even so, her usual stern expression was indication of a battle she was fighting inwardly. Kisame cleared his throat.

"Well, I'll stay here for a bit. If anything our odds are better if we stick together for the time being," he stated, subconsciously flinching as he remembered Sakura's words to him before they parted- _don't_ go after Madara.

Well, _technically_ he wasn't going to. And since when did he let little pink-haired kunoichis control his life anyway?

Konan looked like a giant boulder was lifted from her shoulders, but then her eyes averted from his.

"I can't ask this of you, Kisame. The defense of this city is my responsibility and the only thing I have left to live for. I'm prepared to sacrifice myself for Rain, but I can't burden you with something so great."

Kisame shrugged, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked up at the woman.

"Like I said, it's my choice. I have a score to settle with that Uchiha bastard, and I'm getting sick of following empty leads. I was going to go after him anyways, and even if his strength exceeded our initial expectations, he would be stupid to underestimate the both of us."

Konan paused for a moment, her amber eyes moving towards his own. Her gaze softened a little.

"Kisame... you have my deepest thanks."

The woman didn't know just how to express her gratitude, so she left it at that. Whatever Kisame's reasoning for staying, she felt a whole lot more optimistic about the future of Amegakure with him there. The man just nodded in response to her gratitude, his mind still lingering on a prior detail.

"One request though, I'd like to go see Zetsu, if possible."

"Of course. After all, it's one of the reasons I wanted you to come in the first place. As soon as he shut down after the mental evaluation, I thought of the medic girl."

Kisame gave her a hard look, as her suspicions confirmed his.

"When you explained what happened to her last time you were here, I knew there was a correlation."

"I was thinking the same thing. There's no doubt that Madara really was responsible for putting the mind curse on Sakura as well then."

"Yes," Konan said with a heavy sigh, both shinobi wondering why.

Kisame furrowed his brow as he tried to think, wondering if he too was in the same boat. Well, hopefully he wouldn't have to find out any time soon. But now he had to find some answers. As if reading his mind, Konan straightened, and Kisame did the same.

Without further delay, they made their way to the medical ward.

.-.-.-.

The rain on the windows blotted out some of the idle chatter from behind the glass as Kisame sat in a cafe, enjoying a green tea. He watched the passing blur of people in the steely streets; the young girls with their shopping bags, giggling at whatever was funny to girls that age. He watched on, wondering what the passing crowds would be doing if they knew the very possible threat that could come and destroy their city at any moment.

It was over a month into his stay in Rain, and there was still no sign of Madara. Kisame abandoned his now-cold tea, and walked into the grey streets, unsure of whether to be disappointed or glad. The bastard was biding his time, and Kisame thought of countless theories why. Just what was he up to? Amegakure's scouts came back time and time again with no information of any sightings or news about him nor Sasuke, and to Kisame, it felt like the calm before a storm. He really did itch for the Uchiha's blood, but then again it really _would_ be a shame to destroy such a place with a large-scale battle.

With a noncommittal snort, he walked on. He had just left the medical building after another fruitless day studying Zetsu's unresponsive body, and mind probe after mind probe revealed nothing but an empty blackness. By now, Kisame was questioning if the plant-like man was alive at all.

The scent of cooking food wafted to his nose from one of the buildings ahead, and Kisame decided to mull the situation over some more while getting lunch. He entered the small restaurant, a chime from the bells on the door alerting his presence. It was busy inside with chatty patrons and clinking dishware, and the sudden hush that washed over everyone didn't deter Kisame from making his way to an empty table.

He was used to the stares and whispers, and quite frankly kind of liked the quietness because hopefully he'd have an easier time thinking now. A waitress rushed over awkwardly as he sat, browsing over a menu with detached interest. His mind was still pondering over the whole thing with Madara and Zetsu, that the kanji on the flimsy plastic menu didn't register at all. Frustrated, Kisame folded it back up and spoke.

"What's the special today?"

He looked up at her blankly, waiting for the pen on her notepad to stop trembling and for her to answer the damn question.

"Well?" he prompted, noting how her wide eyes averted from the grooves on his cheeks.

"Oh! Um," she began, her voice wavering nervously, "We have clam chowder- no I mean, well, um, ginger pork with steamed- no I meant-"

Kisame sighed at the short brunette, his eyes settling on her jarring fuchsia-pink lips as she struggled with her words.

"Make up your mind before I consider having _you_ for lunch," he said, trying not to roll his eyes.

His little remark earned him another bout of silence from the crowd and the frightened waitress paled so much she looked like she was about to faint.

"It was a joke," Kisame said blandly, the increasing gap of silence making him wonder just why he didn't get take-out.

"Just get me that ginger pork."

The girl scurried off frantically and he leaned back a bit in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck. What a dull girl. What a dull _city_, as a matter of fact.

The past month was agonizingly uneventful, and with each day, he realized just how much he missed the banter between Sakura and himself. With every Amegakure shinobi on high alert - Konan included - there was little chance for casual chatting. Not that he didn't understand, with the grim circumstances and all, but still he found himself craving conversation. Hell, he even missed the insults- at least that kept things lively. Time and time again, he'd find himself eyeing waitresses, shop keeper girls, and even kunoichis to find something to remind himself of Sakura, but to no avail. Kisame sat back in his chair, remembering a call-girl that approached him a few nights back as he patrolled the streets, recalling her long, shapely legs and waist-length black hair - the way she purred her seductive words from her full lips. She was his type in nearly every way but he had waved her off with ease, unable to divest his attention to this woman because of the flash of pink and jade green which he couldn't shake from his mind.

He had never been so affected by anyone in his life. He replayed their countless conversations in his head day after day, smirking to himself every once in a while as he walked, or ate, or did anything for that matter.

_'Pathetic,'_ she would have said, if she knew.

_'Pathetic, that you can't stop thinking about clumsy, directionally-challenged little Sakura, right gills?'_

And he would have snorted indignantly because he was so _not _doing that.

Then she might laugh, flash him a smile, brush her bangs away from her eyes, or pull up her knees to her chest as she sat, because that's what she did.

As his meal arrived, Kisame blinked, ignoring the waitress as she probably asked him if he needed anything else.

And he didn't want to think too deeply about that, because his mind was telling him that _yes_, he did need something else. Something that was far, far away and probably not reciprocating similar thoughts. Kisame shook his head and grabbed his chopsticks rather forcibly, deciding it was time to stop this disturbing line of thinking.

_'You really are pathetic, old man,'_ he told himself with a smirk, and ate his food in silence.

.-.-.-.

Sakura closed her apartment door behind her as she entered, leaning against it, another long day finished with. She sighed and unzipped her boots, making a beeline for the couch as she plopped down on it. After a minute, she looked at the plastic bag in her hand, and finally took out what was inside.

"I'm going crazy," she said, her voice coming out louder than she expected in her silent living room.

Sakura eyed the heavy book in her hands, running her fingers over the embossed village symbol gracing the cover. _Kirigakure no Sato_: A Bloody History of the Village Hidden in the Mist. She had been too scared to open it up in the bookstore, but as soon as she saw it, she knew she had to buy it. Frankly, thoughts of Kisame pervaded her every thought, and it was only made worse after coming back to an empty apartment every night that she noticed how much quieter things had become without his constant presence. Every time she walked her routine path to work, she was met with reminder after reminder of the man.

She realized it had become a problem a few days back when a fruit vendor's display of dried persimmon nearly caused her to have a break-down.

And that's why now, she sat with a book which would hopefully help fill that ever-increasing void he left her with. Sakura stretched her legs out in front of her and began to flip through the pages, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kisame's iconic features somewhere inside.

Her anticipation rose as the chapter detailing the Mist's famous swordsmen popped up, and she stopped, slowly turning the pages. It didn't take long before a two-page feature on Kisame did indeed appear. Sakura took a minute to just stare at the picture next to what was probably his biography. The photo was slightly desaturated- a bust of him likely for Mist's records at the time. He wore a flak jacket and the headband covering his forehead was unmarred by the slash she was used to seeing. Sakura traced her finger over it, finding it strange that he looked so young. She guessed he was probably nineteen or twenty in the picture, and wondered what he was like then. What she also found odd was how serious he looked. His face was completely devoid of emotion, save for a subtle downwards lilt of his eyebrows. It was weird since the image in her mind always featured Kisame with his usual sardonic grin, likely about to make some sort of sarcastic remark regarding her various inadequacies. Sakura smirked to herself, then closed the book, realizing how silly she was being.

This was a level of desperation which was just outright embarrassing. If she was lonely then she'd get a goddamn cat like normal people did. Preferably a blue cat with black-rimmed eyes and a spiked tuft of hair on its head. Sakura threw her head back and laughed at her own thoughts and decided it was probably best to go to bed and forget about any of this. She set the book down and realized that if anything, this was only going to make her miss him more, and she _so_ didn't need that kind of distraction at this point in her life.

.-.-.-.

"Hoshigaki-san, come quick!"

The man in question jolted up from his bed, instinctively reaching for the sword at the bedside, his eyes adjusting to the heavy blackness of the night. The glaring green of the numbers on the clock next to him indicated that it was two in the morning, and he squinted, rubbing his eyes.

_'The hell?'_

His head shot to the door, where loud pounding was permeating into his apartment, steadily rousing him from his hazy sleep-addled state. He was up in seconds, jerking open the door and awaiting an explanation.

"I apologize sir, but there has been an incident at the ward. Leader-sama asked me to-"

Before the messenger had a chance to finish, Kisame had dashed back into the room and quickly donned his pants and coat, not forgetting Samehada as he joined the shinobi at the door.

"Let's go," he said, and they were off.

They arrived at the medical building instead of the main headquarters and this sent a new wave of urgency through Kisame. Before he had much time to speculate, the blue-haired woman broke off from the group of shinobi she was talking to and strode towards the former Mist-nin.

"Kisame, it's Zetsu- he escaped the hospital," she said, the panic in her face showing through despite her to efforts to appear calm.

Kisame closed his eyes briefly, taking a moment to inhale the brisk midnight air as he tried to collect his thoughts. He reopened them, and spoke evenly.

"When?"

"The stationed group of shinobi reported in to me less than half-an-hour ago. None of the alarms went off. I'm not sure how-"

"Leader-sama! Come quickly!"

Konan and Kisame both sprang to attention, instantly running after the scout who just came in a breathless panic as he lead them westwards toward an industrial area of the city. They ran until they reached the end, a large warehouse building peppered with broken windows, clearly abandoned. The scout led them to the far side, where a lone body lay on the ground between the building wall and the one next to it.

Immediately, the woman reached down to touch her hand to his pulse, Kisame simultaneously voicing, "He's dead."

The woman rose to her feet, as the shinobi looked down upon the lifeless body and all wondered the same thing: Just what was going on?

"Kenshi," the woman spoke evenly, "leave us."

The scout nodded hesitantly, and sprang off in the direction of the ward.

"Kisame, are you thinking the same thing I am?"

"Yeah, this is exactly what Sasori had done in Sunagakure, with the sleeper agent. Zetsu couldn't have escaped on his own. He was used like a puppet. One thing's for sure, Madara was here, and that mind-curse jutsu is really as dangerous as I suspected," Kisame said, scanning the dark surroundings.

"You think he's gone?" Konan asked.

He propped Samehada on his shoulder and looked towards the open water beyond the dock.

"He's got nothing to look for here. I think he extracted whatever information was in Zetsu's mind and possibly learned that the Rinnegan is no longer available for him to take."

"Do you think Zetsu knows you're here? Do you think he might been recording everything while in the hospital as well?"

Kisame inhaled deeply through his nostrils, hoping dearly that wasn't the case. They had discussed many plans and details while analyzing Zetsu's body, and it would be a great advantage for Madara if he had this information.

But worse yet, was another thought which crept and wove its way through his mind. A dark, disturbing thought about someone else put into a similar condition. He looked down at Zetsu's body, imagining Sakura there instead. His chest tightened as he remembered her story and then realized something. If Madara implemented the mind-curse jutsu on Zetsu in order to gain the Rinnegan from Amegakure, well, Konoha had something he wanted too.

"Konan, I have to go."

The woman stretched her arms out calmly as her skin fluttered to life in thin papery sheets, each leaflet knowing its course as they flew and wrapped around the plant-like man's corpse like a cocoon.

"I know. The Haruno girl."

He turned his back and sprang up into the scaffolding, making his way back towards his apartment. No, Sakura was not going to suffer the same fate. He would not let her be Madara's puppet if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

**A/N:** Hope you guys liked this chapter, even though it was mainly plot-advancement. Worry not- the next chapter features our sexy OTP again so you can rejoice! I hope people got the dried persimmon thing with Sakura, since Kisame's last name "Hoshigaki" literally means dried persimmon, haha! I thought it was cute. Anyway, like I said, the next chapter is fully written, so I will post it quickly after (probably tonight actually) so I hope nobody skips over this one by accident.

Hugs + kisses, and leave your reviews~!


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** Okay, so I took a couple weeks getting this chapter up instead of a few hours. SORRY! I just had to make it perf for you all! As a result, this chapter is now longer than I intended, but I really love this one and hope you guys do too. Enjoy!

* * *

He crouched on the ledge outside the window, scanning around for the tenth time in case someone had sensed him. He was stalling, and his rational side made damn sure to remind him of the fact. The anxiety he currently felt was not for fear of being caught by Konoha's shinobi; it was the dead of night and truthfully, he was adept at concealing his presence. No, this feeling was something else. He unfurled his fingers from Samehada's hilt and squinted at the window, trying to see inside of it for any sign of Sakura. What if it was the wrong place? What if someone was in there with her? What if she didn't want to see him?

Well, at least he knew the answer to the last one... and either way, he only came because of what he speculated about her future use in Madara's plan. Worse yet was another possibility that plagued him ever since he saw Zetsu's lifeless body in that alleyway - what if Madara had already gotten to her? With renewed resolve Kisame lifted his hand and lightly tapped the glass with his knuckles. His heart rate increased as the anticipation rose. Amidst the spiralling wave of danger, he really _was_ looking forward to seeing her again. Moments passed, and Kisame tapped again, a little louder this time. Then he heard dull, hurried footsteps and the curtains pull to the side as the window was lifted up. The seconds it took made his heart almost stop in his chest.

It didn't take long before a head almost bumped into his as pink hair brushed his forehead, a nose pressing into his as the crouched man felt time slow. He took a moment to look down into the wide, green eyes that met his; so close he could see the speckles of blue and brown within the irises. _Sakura_. The scent that hit him then was so sweet, and all he could think of was the way she felt in his arms the last time he saw her. It was a damn nice feeling to see the girl again, and he couldn't help a toothy grin.

"Oh my god!"

Kisame clapped his hand over her mouth and nudged her inside, suggesting discretion with his knitted eyebrows. Understanding, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her with more force than he imagined, and Kisame had to fold his body inward in order to fit through the tiny window frame.

When he climbed through, he dusted himself off while the kunoichi quickly slammed the window shut and promptly drew the curtains again.

"Oh my _god_," she repeated again with emphasis, pivoting back around to get a better look at the man.

"I'm okay with just Kisame," he responded grinning fiendishly.

She shook her head at him and then a wide smile broke out on her face. He decided to take it in, enjoying the joy etched in her expression as she eyed him up and down, as if she didn't believe it was really him. He almost didn't want to tell her why he came, because it may well be a while before he saw that smile again.

Her hair was pinned up in a twist and she had an apron on, the entire place smelling of herbs.

"I can't believe it's really you!" she exclaimed, "and _here_. In Konoha. Why? _How_?"

He sighed a little, stretching his back as he dreaded explaining it all so soon.

"There is some news-" he began, but then cut himself off, not knowing if now was a good idea to discuss the whys.

"Ah, right," she said with an air of disappointment, "You wouldn't have gone through the trouble if it wasn't for something serious."

She rubbed her arm, a half-hearted smile on her face, and Kisame realized that wasn't true; he would have sought her out eventually regardless. He noticed then the arm she was rubbing was the one she had injured during their fight with Sasuke. It healed, but it was still clearly scarred mostly throughout, the skin pinched and puckered in various places. He wanted to reach out and trace those scars with his hands, following the wavering path up from her forearm up towards her shoulder and under the sleeve of her t-shirt. He shook the strange thoughts from his mind, wondering when he'd developed a thing for burned flesh.

"Yeah, it's something serious," he said languidly, as his gaze moved up towards her eyes.

Sakura blushed a little at the inspection, clearing her throat. Well, if he was going to be a downer, at least they could sit down and get comfortable first.

"I was making tea, did you want some?"

"Sounds good," he responded, following her out as she made her way through what looked like the bedroom which they were in, and towards the kitchen.

It was a small apartment from his quick glance-around, but had everything one would need. Books littered the ground in stacks of various sizes like some sort of rock formations, mostly medical judging by the unfamiliar words in the titles. There were also pictures everywhere - of her friends, Kisame gathered - hanging on the walls, and framed on tables. There wasn't a single shelf or ledge not occupied by something, including various potted herbs and plants with scribbled labels describing them. He was expecting her decor to be more pink though, but noticed she preferred light greens and yellows instead.

She motioned to a couch in the living room area, while she went to the stove to get the boiling pot off of the burner. Kisame removed Samehada from his back, setting it against a wall and sat down. He observed her working, a clear nervousness evident in her jittery movements. Inwardly he sighed, wishing he didn't have to do this- wishing that he could have come just for tea and good company, but it seemed with her, it was never so.

"So, you gonna tell me how you found me?" she inquired, pouring water into a tall cup.

Kisame crossed one leg over the other as he stretched them outwards.

"I asked around," he said smirking.

"_Ha-ha_, I see your jokes are as terrible as ever."

"Hey, I've had nobody to test them on."

Sakura smiled, bringing a tray with the tea over towards the coffee table, and took a seat across from him as she poured it into the cups. She glanced up and shook her head with disbelief.

"This is so weird. I seriously can't believe you're here right now."

"You miss me?"

She snorted, spooning sugar into her cup and leaving his unsweetened.

"_No_," she said with a sly smirk, handing him his tea.

"Good, me either," he replied, their eyes linked to one another, betraying their words.

She settled into an armchair across from him, and he looked down, noticing a flash of something familiar on the table.

The Mist symbol graced the cover page of a book titled '_Kirigakure no Sato_: A Bloody History of the Village Hidden in the Mist', catching his attention. Kisame picked it up and eyed the girl with a quirked brow.

"What's this? Trying to dig up some juicy info about me?" he said amusedly, tapping the cover.

Sakura blushed lightly but scoffed in disdain, as she snatched it away, hastily shoving it under the space below the coffee table.

"_No_, I just happened to have it lying around," she lied, clearly not wanting to pursue the topic any further because, _awkward_.

"Anyway, so how _did_ you find me, and more importantly, why?"

Kisame nodded towards his sword, "you have Samehada to thank. She remembers a person's chakra after tasting it."

Sakura paused as the teacup grazed her lip and made a disturbed look towards her blue-skinned guest and then his weapon.

"Nope. I can just never be at peace with that knowledge," she said and took a small sip.

Kisame chuckled and propped his elbows on his knees as he looked directly at Sakura.

"And I'm here because I think you're in some serious danger, pinkie," he stated flatly.

Sakura blinked at him.

"I went to Amegakure after we parted ways, and turns out Madara used Zetsu to scope out the city," he paused, taking a sip of his tea, the scalding hot liquid almost burning his throat.

"Zetsu... the plant-like one?" she inquired, remembering her research into the Akatsuki while at Rain.

"Yeah. Anyway, he was caught gathering information and after the mind-scan to figure out why, he blacked out into a coma."

Sakura gasped a little, licking her suddenly-dry lips.

"Like me..." she whispered, looking into her tea.

"Exactly. Well, I think he was after Nagato's Rinnegan, so Konan had his body cremated. I stayed there for a while in order to learn more about Zetsu or in case Madara came, but just a couple of days back, Zetsu escaped. We found him, but he was dead. I think once Madara found out the Rinnegan was gone, he had no use for Amegakure any more. And that's why I'm here," he said, pausing as he took a sip of his tea.

"I understand now why Sasuke didn't kill you when he had he chance."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat, and she set her tea down onto the table. Kisame took notice of how the liquid trembled from her grip. She cleared her throat.

"Okay..." she breathed, clearly trying to collect herself, "Okay, so why? What is it Kisame?"

She wasn't stupid; her mind already put two and two together, but she was desperately fighting logic in hopes Kisame could tell her something else.

"Madara has the Hachibi. After that one's sealed, he has one more jinchuriki left- the Kyuubi, Naruto. Since Konoha has a pretty solid defence, and allies in some powerful states, Madara can't just go in blindly and take the kid because he's still not capable on his own. Most of the Akatsuki are either dead or defected and Sasuke is too wavering in his loyalty. He killed his own teammates that he himself assembled."

Sakura licked her lips, eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"Yeah but even if Madara wanted him, Naruto's not in Konoha right now. He's off training at-" she cut herself off and gasped, her hand over her mouth.

"Oh _god_. I know where he is," she said, realization dawning on her like cold, grimy rain.

"The thing with the mind curse jutsu, was for that purpose," Kisame finished, "When he kidnapped you, Madara probably saw your memories with the kid and realized how much Naruto trusted you. I should've realized it as soon as I found out you two were on the same team growing up."

"That's why I was held up for so long!" she grabbed her head, angry that within her lay the power to end her best friend's life.

"Wait, but what about you? Why did Madara or Kabuto or whoever capture you?"

"Kabuto and Madara are - _were_- working together for reasons I'm not really sure of. My theory is that Kabuto did actually want to have that chakra transplant procedure done on him, and so he did need you and me both. In return, Madara allowed him to use you, and also got the satisfaction of knowing that I was going to die since I did betray him by leaving Akatsuki. It makes sense. Then I'm assuming Sasuke and his entourage joined Madara's cause after they busted down the lab. Whatever the truth is, one thing is for sure: I was supposed to die, and you were supposed to be left alive with the mind-curse in place, to eventually go back to Konoha and await Madara so he can execute his plan."

Sakura clutched her head in her hands and looked down at the floor, disbelief etching her face. How could anyone be so cruel? No, this couldn't come to pass. She had to do something.

"I have to leave."

He nodded.

"If Madara can't find you, he can't activate the jutsu. It's the only option you have."

Sakura sucked air in through her teeth, stilling her nerves. This was fine. She could handle it. She had strength, and courage and willpower.

She had Kisame.

And that thought alone made the muscles in her taut shoulders loosen slightly. She had Kisame who would come with her and make her feel less alone, less like some patient who had a deadly virus and needed to be quarantined.

"Okay," she exhaled softly, "when and where?"

Sakura was taking it better than he had imagined, and it was a great relief. Kisame took another sip of his tea.

"Soon. Whenever you can. As for where, Amegakure for now. He's got no reason to go there anymore and wouldn't expect you to be there."

She bit her lip.

"I have an E.R. patient in critical care who has been receiving detailed personalized care from me the past few weeks. I can't abandon him until he's stable. Can you give me at least two days?"

Kisame rolled his shoulder blade, "Yeah. Two days and we set out. Don't tell anyone. That will only spur what happened last time with your fellow hunter nin. And I'd prefer to live out the rest of my days without ever seeing that idiot friend of yours again."

Sakura didn't pay much heed, her mind racing as she digested this new information. So, that was it. That was the plan- the reason for this whole mess; Naruto's capture. Through one of his best friends, no less. And Sasuke...

_'Sasuke, that scum. He knew. He knew and kept me alive so that...'_

"Hey, hey. Take it easy, kunoichi," Kisame said, observing the girl as she trembled, her chakra spiking suddenly in the room. She calmed down a little at his voice and wanted to cry. She wanted to let all her anger and resentment out and cry and scream. She wanted to be held; to have someone tell her that it was going to be alright.

"I'm sorry Kisame, it's just-"

"Heh, one day, I'll have good news for you," he said, hating the frown marring her face.

She smiled at him, and he felt his chest constrict.

"I shouldn't be sad. After all, you're here," she said.

Kisame was mesmerized. Every fiber in his being yearned to sweep her up then and there, and hold her close and not let go. If there was one thing he would prevent Madara from doing, it was to not let him near Sakura again. He would promise himself that much, and at any cost. The thoughts should have scared him in their intensity, but he just didn't find it in him to care. It had been a while since someone had made him feel so alive, and he wouldn't let some psychotic Uchiha with a god-complex take that away from him.

He got up.

"Madara... won't touch you. He won't succeed in his plans."

Sakura looked worriedly up at him, her hands fisted in her apron.

Kisame took one of them in his own, observing how small it was in contrast to his. She unfurled her fingers as he smoothed his thumb over her palm, wanting desperately to close the distance between them.

"I trust you Kisame," she said, blushing at his touch.

Something about the way he spoke and gazed into her eyes caused a stirring in her stomach and she shifted in her chair.

"Y-you can stay here," Sakura said, "until I'm ready to go."

"No, that's fine, I ca-"

"_Please._"

Kisame was at a loss for words.

"Please, I.. I'd feel better about it. Knowing you're here."

_'Stay here and protect me. Help me,'_ she thought inwardly.

"Alright," he managed after a while, completely entranced and enticed by this woman. She sounded desperate. She needed him, and it spurred the dormant protective side within him.

"I'll stay."

After they finished their tea, Kisame had gone to the bathroom to shower while his clothes dried. Sakura walked over to the closet and picked up a pile of linens, carrying them over to the couch as she began laying them out. When she finished, she gazed upon the pink cat-print sheets pitifully, then smiled a little as she imagined Kisame wrapped in them.

_'Well, not like I was expecting the famous Monster of the Mist to crash at my place after all.'_

The living room couch was small, but she made it as cozy as possible, fluffing the pillow out and plopping it down as she finished up. The sound of the running shower stopped, and Sakura walked over to a chair at the kitchen table, sitting down and tapping her fingers rhythmically against the tabletop as she waited.

This was weird. _Really_ weird. For some odd reason, she just couldn't shake the restless feeling of butterflies in her gut. She was feeling extremely mixed about everything that happened in the last hour since Kisame appeared at her window, and right now, she couldn't help but feel another queasy surge of tension roil up in her stomach. Because now, she realized that Kisame had come all the way over here - despite the risks of being caught - just so he could save her from the fate Madara had planned. She gulped down the thick saliva at the base of her throat, and rubbed her arm. Every doubt which ever speckled her thoughts concerning him was now thoroughly eradicated as she came to that realization. She wanted to smile, but the constant reminder of what Madara programmed into her made her sick to her stomach. The fact that Naruto's demise - and subsequently Konoha's - could be brought about by her was overwhelming. She held her forehead in her hands as she tried not to think about it.

_'Two days. Two days and Naruto is safe,'_ she said inwardly, breathing in deeply to clear the anxiety.

The familiar creak of the bathroom door roused her from her thoughts as Kisame strode out, finished with his shower. Sakura was going to say something, but as soon as she saw his body clad in nothing but a towel around his waist, she promptly forgot how to speak. She looked away instead, wondering how the hell he managed to make even her largest towel suddenly look very small. In fact her very _apartment_ seemed tiny with him in it, as she looked up at the top of his head, only inches from the ceiling. Kisame stood, apparently unaffected by anything as he roughly dried his hair with another towel.

"Um... the dryer is still running," Sakura offered, trying extremely hard not to stare at the expanse of muscled thigh, nor the way his pecs looked with one arm behind his head like that. Oh, and she was also totally ignoring that bead of water travelling down from his navel down the trail of hair below and the way it disappeared into the towel resting on his hips.

She cleared her throat, averting her gaze to the kitten-patterned sheets on the couch.

_'Cute, fluffy, innocent kittens,'_ she thought to herself, feeling extremely on edge.

And Kisame was totally not making it easier as he stood there probably with that annoyingly quizzical look on his face as he likely gloated inwardly at how stupidly immature she got at any sign of his unclothed flesh. Which she was absolutely not still thinking about.

"Anyway! Yeah, so I guess you can sleep here," she said, getting up and patting down the bedding rather loudly.

Kisame eyed the juvenile-looking pattern on the sheets, but was more off-put by Sakura's sudden antsiness.

"You alright, kunoichi?"

Mentally, Kisame kicked himself for the dumb question. Obviously, he had just dropped a bomb on her, and she was still thinking about Madara and everything. Honestly, he should be surprised she wasn't a sobbing mess right now. Unbeknownst to him, Sakura felt her cheeks heat up.

_'Oh god, what is wrong with me? Not like I've never seen him in just a towel before.'_

"I'm fine," she responded finally.

Already, she could tell this was going to be an interesting two days. Sakura busied herself with the bedding a while longer, waiting for the embarrassment to fade from her face so she could strike up a normal conversation. She sighed.

"I just had a long day. I hope the couch won't be too uncomfortable?"

"Don't worry about it. You should go sleep."

_Yes_. Sleep. A good way to forget about the six-foot-something hunk of deadly well-defined man in her living room.

_'Ugh.'_

The muffled buzz of the dryer went off, interrupting the silence between them, and Sakura took full advantage, rushing off to retrieve Kisame's clothing.

She was _so_ not mentally prepared to have images of naked Kisame sleeping on her couch, so clothes were an extremely good idea right now. She was crouched over, hurriedly pulling out the dark garments as a hand touched her shoulder, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin.

"Sakura, I can manage. Go, sleep."

She stopped, unable to think because of the strangely comforting weight and warmth of his hand on her shoulder.

"Okay..." she said, slowly getting up and handing him the warm clothes.

He really _was_ enormous, or she had seriously been living in a tool-shed this whole time.

"I guess I'll leave you to it," she said with an awkward laugh, and proceeded to go brush her teeth.

Kisame quickly donned his sleeping shorts, listening to the dull back-and-forth motions of the toothbrush behind the bathroom door. The strangeness of this predicament hit him then, as he realized just how intimate their situation was. This wasn't some random temporary lodgings like the many motels and campsites they shared; this was Sakura's home. He closed the dryer door and walked out of the narrow hallway back into the living room as he looked around.

He was immersed in her scent. It wasn't just one in particular, but many. The pages of textbooks old and new, the lingering smell of the green tea leaves from earlier, the amalgam of herbs whose pots dotted the shelves on the walls and under the windows. All of these things combined with Sakura's own scent fused into one, lending to a totally new and much more personal blend, and Kisame suddenly felt a little uneasy. He felt like an intruder, and glanced over at Samehada propped against the pale yellow wall, surrounded by pictures of people he assumed were friends of hers.

Without thinking, he walked up to the wall and looked them over, not recognizing any of the smiling faces except for the blond spiky-haired one that popped up every few pictures. It was strange how connected he felt to this girl, yet still knew so little about her. Again, he felt out of place, so he began closing the blinds on the windows nearby to busy himself.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," came a voice from behind him.

He drew the curtains tight, then turned.

"Wouldn't be a good idea if anyone saw me here. I'll conceal my chakra to be sure."

Sakura rubbed her arm again, smiling awkwardly and not knowing what to say.

"Oh, that reminds me. I'm being watched - I'm pretty sure anyway - by this new 'assistant' I have at work, so I doubt anything will happen to me during the day in terms of well, you know, Madara," she said, shifting a little.

Kisame observed her in her light green pyjamas and resisted the urge to grin.

"Alright then I won't tail you. But here-" he said, stepping close and taking hold of her hand, turning it so the palm was up. She tensed at the unexpected move, but watched curiously as Kisame made a few hand signs, his thumb pressed against the inside of her wrist.

She watched in fascination as the spot began to glow as a blue shining ring of light inscribed itself around in a circle.

"An echo seal?" she asked, eyeing the rotating symbols around the circle, now fading into nothingness as her skin returned to normal.

"Mhm," he murmured, showing his own wrist, the seal replicated exactly on it as well.

"If you focus chakra there with your right hand, I'll sense your location as long as you channel it. If anything happens, use it."

She brushed the area lightly with her thumb, and folded her arms tightly across her chest, nodding in affirmation. This took a great load off her shoulder, and she was even more grateful to have someone like Kisame here in case the worst happened. She wanted to say thanks, to hug him like that last time and feel even more secure but she didn't want to compromise anything. After all, it was approaching two in the morning and they were about to be sleeping only meters away from each other, so it might just make things a little awkward. Sakura sighed at herself for being so childish - the guy probably didn't take too well to her using him like a giant teddy bear anyway.

"Thanks, Kisame. For being here."

He felt the corner of his lip tug upwards.

"Get some rest, kunoichi."

She smiled and turned around, heading for her room down the hall. He watched her go, then turned himself in too. As out of place as he felt, there was still that distinct feeling that this was exactly where he was supposed to be. Whatever had happened with him and the girl over their time spent together really did something, because he knew that resilient connection to her was likely not going to weaken anytime soon.

He waited for the click of her bedroom door closing, but it never came.

.-.-.-.

The next morning, Sakura had awoken with a start, recollecting hazy bits and pieces of the night before and the current situation she was in. She threw the covers to the side and got up, hurriedly padding over to the living room.

Well, it certainly wasn't a dream.

Her glorious kitten sheets were bereft of one shark-man, but they were clearly slept in, by the looks of things. She looked around for Kisame, but then heard the shower running again. She looked around, not really sure still what to make of things, but one thing was for certain- she had to get ready for yet another trip.

And this time, she really would be betraying the very city she was trying to protect. Well, at least she wouldn't abandon her critical patient, so her guilty conscience wasn't allowed to kick in just yet. And at that thought, Sakura glanced at the clock, realizing she had to go to work soon, and _someone_ was hogging the bathroom. She was going to protest, but then noticed some things laid out on the kitchen table.

_'Huh, so you made me breakfast?'_

She smiled and plopped down onto the chair, eyeing the scrambled eggs with a sudden hunger.

Perhaps she'd let the bathroom-hogging slide this time.

As she ate, Sakura hoped to get through the next couple of days without a hitch. After all, anyone could decide to come by, and there were only so many places to hide an overgrown shark-man. And his equally large sword. She turned to the side to look at Samehada, propped against her wall.

_'This is so surreal,'_ she said to herself, thoughtfully chewing on a piece of toast.

If only everyone else knew Kisame the way she did, things could be so much easier.

"What're you thinking about?"

Sakura whipped her head around to notice Kisame - fully clothed, for once - making his way to the table to take a seat opposite her.

"Oh you know, just contemplating stealing your sword."

He sat down and raised a brow.

"I thought you couldn't stand Samehada," he said, the sword slightly moving as if it understood, "and I'm sure she recalls all the horrid things you've called her."

Sakura laughed.

"Don't tell me I hurt a sword's feelings."

"Mm, you should probably apologize."

"Hm, I dunno, I think you should apologize first for forgetting I like my eggs sunny-side up."

Kisame looked at the frying pan then at the girl. He promptly took a fork and stuffed the remainder in his mouth.

"_Hey!_" she exclaimed, regret quickly setting in.

"Hm? Can't hear you over how shitty these eggs taste," he said, still chewing.

"Aw come on I didn't say they were shitty, geez," she said, getting up to find some butter for her toast.

"It was actually kind of _nice_ of you to make anything at all," she grumbled, returning to her seat.

Kisame sneered playfully, then changed the topic.

"So when do you leave?"

"Gotta be there in an hour. I guess you've proven yourself resourceful, so I don't have to worry about you being cooped up in here all day, right?"

He shot a glance towards all the books lying around.

"No thanks, I don't feel like reading about plants all day. I'm gonna do some snooping around in Konoha; hopefully I'll hear something useful."

Sakura snorted, then her face turned serious as she realized he wasn't joking.

"Are you kidding?"

"What? Intel was my specialty kunoichi. Even your most skilled ANBU won't find me."

She shook her head.

"Well, it feels..._wrong_. You, spying on my own village."

"It's not spying, it's intelligence gathering. I'm hoping one of your jounin coughs up something on Madara or the situation outside."

"Okay well fine, you do that then. Anyway, I'll be home by six, hopefully. We're short-staffed and I'm the best they've got right now. Please just... don't do anything dumb," she said, getting up to clear the plates.

"I won't. That's your thing, remember?"

Sakura tossed a dishrag at his head, and walked to the bathroom.

"Doing the dishes can be your thing then, gills!"

.-.-.

Later that evening, Sakura picked up extra groceries from the mart near the hospital. She smiled as she browsed, going quicker than usual as a certain excitement beckoned her to get home.

The entire shift at the hospital was a sort of blur, as she could only think of Kisame being here with her. It was equally as thrilling as exciting - the danger of the situation adding to it all. In hindsight, the girl realized she should in fact be scared for her life right now, but she had confidence in the man. At the thought, she glanced down at her wrist, rubbing the spot where he placed the seal. Nervously she glanced around, hoping nobody would suspect anything. She carried on shopping, making sure to stop by the seafood isle and pick up some fresh shrimp and crab. Tonight, she would cook him his favorite. After all, he really did deserve it.

Sakura paid and left, walking back to her apartment with a bounce in her step. The daytime street crowds had dwindled to only a few passersby, likely enjoying an evening walk in the crisp air. She wasn't paying much attention to any of them though, and eventually nearly bumped into someone, the large grocery bags hindering her eyesight.

"Sakura."

The girl repositioned the bags in her arms then looked up at Kakashi's masked face in the orange light.

"Kakashi-sensei, what're you doing out here?"

He didn't have his book in his hand, a sign that he had some sort of pressing matter to attend to.

"I was looking for you. Went by your place, but I guess you hadn't returned."

Sakura's heart leapt into her throat in panic.

"Uhh, _r-really_? What- Why? Did you need something?" she squeaked, trying her best to appear innocent.

"Yes actually. I have new information."

She gulped.

"What is it?"

"Here, give me those and let's go back to your place. I'll explain when we get there."

"No! Well, I mean, _no_," she said with a nervous chuckle, gripping the grocery bags close to her chest as she leaned in to whisper something in his ear, "It's just... I'm kind of having company."

Kakashi's eyes widened a fraction, taking in the extra food and Sakura's girly blush as a sign.

"Oh," he just said, almost forgetting the possibility that his former student ever dated.

Sakura gave herself a mental high-five at the quick save, then focused her attention back to Kakashi and this news he had.

"Can we just talk now?"

He motioned over to a gap between two buildings, hoping nobody else was around. Deeming it clear, he spoke quietly.

"It's about Killer Bee - the eight-tails' jinchuriki."

Sakura's ears perked up.

"Tsunade was called to meet with Raikage, Bee's older brother. Turns out he escaped from Madara's grasp somehow, and he confirmed Sasuke as one of the Akatsuki who helped capture him."

Sakura looked down at the pavement as she thought.

"Wait, does that mean that Kumogakure might hold us responsible?"

The silver-haired jonin sighed, leaning back against the brick wall, nodding his head.

"Konoha failed to take care of its missing nin and this is the result. From what I heard, Raikage's pretty pissed and now wants to sever alliances with us. We really can't afford hostility with anyone at this point - not when things are getting so turbulent," he said.

Sakura felt her jaw clench in anger. Now they were losing valuable allies because of him? As if she needed more reason to feel disgusted with the Uchiha.

"So what's going to happen?" she asked, bitterness lacing her tone.

Kakashi closed his eye, then looked up towards the awning of the building.

"Danzo wants to go after him, but Sasuke was my student. I'm going to take care of it once and for all."

"Kakashi, you _can't_," she said, placing the bags onto the ground. She looked pleadingly up at him, knowing what the outcome would be if he did go after Sasuke alone.

Kakashi just smiled his masked smile, and ruffled Sakura's hair like he used to. Only now, the girl was old enough to spot feigned reassurance when she saw it.

"Don't worry about it. I have a sharingan too, remember? Have a little faith in your old sensei," he said with a smile, "Anyway, I'll come by before I go - probably sometime in the next few days. Once Tsunade comes back from Kumo, I'll set out."

Sakura flinched a little at that, not knowing what to say. _By then I'll be gone_, she thought, and hoped dearly that she got to Sasuke before Kakashi did. Her former teacher had seen his fill of fallen comrades, and didn't need this. And this time, Sakura was prepared.

"Well, have fun tonight. Sorry I had to ruin the mood, but I thought you should know," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I'm happy for you Sakura. It's not easy finding time for dating and relationships when I know how rough it's been for you."

Sakura blushed furiously at that, now wishing she had used a different excuse earlier, because her and Kisame were absolutely not in a... just _no_. She tried to say something, but Kakashi waved and was gone in a puff of smoke before she had a chance.

Frustrated, the girl picked her groceries back up and set back out in the direction of home. Hopefully, she could get that image out of her head and carry on normally through the rest of the night.

She arrived at the door, fumbling with the keys as she opened it, noticing the lights were off. She quickly shut the door behind her and flicked the switch on, setting the bags on the kitchen counter. With a hushed whisper she called Kisame's name, looking around the corner towards the living room and noticing the linens on the couch neatly folded on the armrest.

Sakura felt a pang of disappointment at the man's absence, hoping he wasn't in some sort of trouble.

"Oh well, guess I'll start with this," she said to herself, and began preparing the ingredients for a seafood stir-fry.

As she cooked, she noticed clean dishes lined up in the rack by the sink, and smirked to herself. His household habits weren't alien to her - having shared lodgings with him before - and they'd often get into petty arguments over dish-washing duty in the past. The fact that he did them willingly spoke volumes.

_'Then again, it _is_ common etiquette,'_ she pondered, adding spices to the sizzling wok.

Before she had a chance to entertain the thought of Kisame in etiquette school, she felt a shift in the air, her head whipping back as she watched the object of her musings manifest from a pillar of water behind her.

"Really? You couldn't just use the key I gave you?"

"I like to make an entrance," he said, rolling his shoulder and glancing over to the stove.

"Yeah, well your flashy entrance just got my linoleum all wet."

Kisame rolled his eyes and with a simple jutsu, the water was gone.

"I take it you had a shitty day," he said, shrugging off his coat and tossing it over the back of the couch and placing Samehada in the same spot as the night before.

"Horrendous," she lied, her voice muffled slightly by the sizzling of oil, "and even though I'm exhausted and cranky, I managed to make you dinner."

Kisame walked over, standing behind her as he glanced over her shoulder as she stirred.

"My favorite too," he commented, "What's the occasion?"

"Hmm, me becoming a future missing nin of Konoha?"

Kisame chuckled and sat at the table nearby, observing her work.

"Well, that reminds me. We leave tomorrow night, but I want you packed by tonight - just in case."

Sakura turned to the left to look at him.

"Why? Did you find something out?"

"I did. Things aren't looking good for your village right now."

"You're talking about the thing with the eight-tails aren't you?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm surprised you know, though. I jumped through some hoops for that juicy morsel."

Sakura stopped stirring.

"You didn't kill anyone did you? Oh god if you-"

"Relax pinkie, give me some credit here."

She resumed cooking as she waited for him to continue.

"Anyway, be ready to leave as soon as possible. I don't want to be here longer than necessary."

Sakura sighed, and nodded. She turned off the stove and spooned the food into two plates, setting them down on the table.

There was a silence as Sakura stared at her plate, her mind abuzz with a multitude of things, in particular the fact that she wasn't done with that critical patient and really hoped she wouldn't have to leave before he healed.

Kisame grabbed his glass of water and tapped it towards her.

"Hey, come on now. We're celebrating remember?"

Sakura raised her glass half-heartedly, clinking it against his as she grumbled something under her breath.

"Here's to being fugitives," he offered jokingly.

Sakura said nothing to that, the thought dawning on her that after this time, Konoha might never take her back. She poked the food on her plate with disinterest, consumed by her thoughts.

Kisame paused, then began to eat, trying to think of something to make it easier for her.

"Hm, not half-bad kunoichi. I guess you can cook a decent meal when you try."

Sakura prodded an unsuspecting shrimp on her plate, ignoring the thinly-veiled compliment.

"You hate my cooking."

"I don't hate your cooking, you just suck at it."

"Well, it's a good thing I finally met someone without taste buds."

"I have taste buds, I'll just eat anything."

"Well then mister man-who-eats-everything, is the shrimp okay?"

He chewed thoughtfully for a second.

"Solid seven."

Sakura chuckled a little, then picked up her chopsticks.

"Well you'd give me a ten if you considered the amount of nutrients in here and not the flavor. That reminds me, I have to make some soldier pills for the road."

Kisame nodded, having momentarily forgotten about the trip ahead of them. There was a brief span of silence between them until Sakura spoke.

"Good thing I didn't get that cat," she said, then burst into laughter.

Kisame gave the girl a quizzical look at her unrelated comment, popping another shrimp in his mouth.

"A cat?"

"Yeah... never mind," she said, not really wanting to explain the past month's loneliness to him.

They ate the rest of the meal in amicable silence, Kisame catching a glimpse of Sakura's arm again as she shrugged off her white medic coat. He wondered if she regretted it yet - if seeing the scars every day in the mirror disgusted her.

Sakura shook him from his thoughts as she came up to him, trying to take his empty plate. She noticed the way his mood shifted as he looked at her injury, and then walked over to the sink.

"It healed up better than I thought," Sakura said with a smile, mainly to put his mind at ease. She noticed the way his mood shifted when he looked upon the marred skin, and guessed that he probably still felt guilty over it, knowing he'd never say it outright. The truth was she didn't like the way she looked in sleeveless shirts anymore. Every once in a while, catching a glimpse of her arm in the mirror would make her do a double-take. But despite the scar's ugliness, she didn't hate it. She wasn't like the many brave heroes in books who would get scars and show them off with pride, and she certainly could never consider it beautiful. Frankly, it just became a part of her, and if her skin would forever be disfigured there, she would be okay with it.

And seeing Kisame here now, she realized just how glad she was that she could sacrifice that small part of herself to have him around. After all, some things were infinitely more important than damaged skin.

Kisame noticed the girl smiling, and felt slightly uncomfortable. Whatever she was thinking, certainly didn't mirror the grim thoughts in his own head so he decided to brush it off for now. He rose and cleared the table.

"You should go pack your things. I'll finish up here," he said.

Sakura nodded, and made her way to her room.

.-.-.-.

The next day Sakura arrived home at six, having finished up at the hospital and frankly quite proud of herself for managing to get her near-dead patient to a stable condition. She had taken care of as many details as possible, tying up any loose ends here and there because it was likely going to be a while - if not the last time - she would be back. With a last glance around the pale green walls of the medical ward, she walked out, briskly striding past the other medics and assistants as they said their goodnights and see-you-tomorrows. Sakura tried not to wince, keeping a tight-lipped smile as she exited the building, anxious to get back home and prepare to set out of Konoha tomorrow.

Kisame was sitting on the couch when she returned, reading the Mist book she bought as a coping mechanism, a slight wave of embarrassment hitting her then as she kicked herself for not hiding it or something.

"Hey," he muttered, glancing up at the girl as she removed her boots.

Sakura tried to act as casual as possible, not wanting to give away her current embarrassment.

"Hey to you too," she managed then headed for the bathroom.

He paid no heed, absorbed by the highly inaccurate rendition of what happened to Fuguki Suikazan the night he killed him. Not that he should _care_, but a little part of his pride wanted to be acknowledged correctly at least. The fact that this clueless author dared assume that he killed his mentor - who, at the time, Kisame was willing to admit he actually _admired_ - only to _"coldheartedly steal the legendary Samehada"_, made him flinch with a pang of annoyance. Had he wanted Samehada that bad, Fuguki would have been dead years before; if only they knew who the real traitor was. Kisame closed the book, deciding this was only going to cause more harm than good. Besides, Sakura was back and he felt like striking up some conversation.

A few minutes later, the girl emerged from the bathroom refreshed and in a better mood.

"Rejoice! I brought take-out," she said, and walked over to the bag she left at the entrance-way, striding over to Kisame. He wasn't really that hungry, moreso intrigued by the lightweight fabric of Sakura's tank top as she strode towards him.

"Unfortunately, only the ramen shop was open, so nothing too fancy," she said, plopping down next to him and handing him a styrofoam bowl.

"Nothing wrong with that," he responded, taking the warm container, his gaze lingering on the pleasant curve of her neck as he followed it down into the low-cut top. He suddenly felt that telltale pull within his gut, noticing the girl had already started to eat and didn't realize the effect she had on him with her proximity. He quickly changed tracks, turning his attention elsewhere.

"Are you packed? We leave early in the morning."

Sakura gulped down the piece of meat she was chewing, and poked the backpack at the base of the coffee table with her toe.

"Mhm, I think I got everything," she said, "Oh, one more thing-"

She rose from her seat, walking briskly towards the kitchen as Kisame's eyes trailed over her body, admiring the way her muscles moved as she moved. She opened up a cupboard below the countertop, reaching for something inside. Shoulder-deep into the cabinet, the girl waved her hand blindly until a clink was heard and a triumphant grin erupted on her face.

"Aha!" she said, retrieving a dark, dusty bottle from the back of the cabinet as she wiped the label with the bottom of her shirt.

Kisame peered over and smirked.

"Nice."

"_Cognac_, it's called. Some foreign stuff."

"Let's have a taste?"

She waved her finger at him.

"Don't even think about it. I've been saving this for years, always waiting for the perfect occasion to open it for. It's like a hundred years old."

"Aw, come on kunoichi."

"No you fiend, this is going to be our victory drink. Our _real_ victory drink."

He smirked at her, remembering the sake they shared on the steps of the abandoned shrine the last time, glad that they got a second chance. This time around he wouldn't let anything mess it up.

"Mhm, can't think of better motivation."

She nodded, and stuffed it into a plastic bag, then into her bulging backpack.

"I guess that's everything."

"Good," he said then glanced at the clock mounted on the wall, "we leave six hours from now, so eat up and get some rest. It's a long journey to Rain."

The two ate the rest of their dinner in silence as they mulled over the road ahead. Kisame wondered to himself if he would ever settle down somewhere for a while, the constant travelling from place to place taking its toll. He really didn't have a place to call home, but he'd allow himself to admit that it would be nice to spend at least a year or two somewhere and just stay put - preferably someplace by the sea. Amegakure was always going to be open to him in terms of lodgings, as long as Konan was in charge, and he realized then that that option wasn't too bad either. Sakura roused him from his mental musings as she got up, stretching her arms as she yawned.

"I'm frickin' tired. Well, I guess I'm going to get whatever sleep I can before morning."

"Mm, alright I'll wake you at two."

"Goodnight Kisame."

"Goodnight."

He watched her go back to her room, then got up and threw out the empty take-out boxes. He really wasn't very tired, but he laid down on the couch anyway, his arms behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling fan above, letting the spinning blades lull him into a blank state of mind. His eyes closed, the light whirring eventually causing him to doze off.

.-.

_It was a clear night, black-blue sky above an anonymous city he only vaguely assumed was Konoha. He would've looked around but his eye quickly caught the sight of a red moon in the blackness above the city line, a man's silhouette in black breaking the crimson glow it emitted. Kisame stood before the figure wanting to ask the inevitable. Was it the end? Was this Madara, ready to spell out everyone's doom? Kisame willed his muscles to spring to action, but they were unable to do so much but move his legs as if they were stuck in glue. He struggled to reach the cloaked figure, but couldn't, and felt as if he was being laughed at. He heard some nondescript noises, as if they weren't part of this strange reality, but his eyes couldn't tear away from the figure before the red sphere in the sky. Before he could try to speak, a subtle waft of sweet perfume brushed past him, and he blinked, the silhouette gone as he reopened his eyes._

_.-._

The ceiling fan came into view as Kisame blinked again, rubbing his eyes as he realized he had dozed off.

_'What a weird dream,'_ he thought, then got up and made his way to the bathroom. The clock indicated that he had slept a good couple of hours, so he decided a shower was in order to hopefully wake him up and keep him energized. He glanced into Sakura's room before he went in, the light from the window hitting her bed, revealing wrinkled sheets and...

Not much else.

Kisame felt panic rise up in him, and he flicked the light switch on in the room, noting that Sakura was indeed not in bed.

"Sakura?" he called out, rushing up towards the window and roughly pulling the curtains to the side. The window was closed, so he quickly hurried back towards the main area, realizing that she was gone. In a flash, he had grabbed Samehada and pulled the leather strap over his shoulder as he headed towards the door. Slipping on his sandals, Kisame noticed a bright yellow note stuck to the door and he snatched it, reading the black lettering scribbled on top.

_'Back in a sec, forgot something at hospital.'_

Kisame's eyebrows came together as he read over the words a few times more, a rising sense of worry manifesting itself inside of him. He tossed the crumpled note to the side and opened the door, his form dissipating into a misty fog as he focused all his energy on pinpointing any trace of Sakura's chakra. Kisame's dematerialized form moved towards the medical ward, reaching it quickly, but finding no sign of the girl's chakra or scent there.

_'Shit,'_ he thought inwardly, the black pit of anxiety within him causing his heart to race frantically. He didn't like this, and had the distinct feeling that something had happened.

And that something caused his focus to dwindle, so he stopped on a rooftop, taking in a deep breath and scanning the span of the village around him. He knew it was risky to be out in the open like this, but he just didn't give a damn at this point. Only one thing kept going through his mind, and that was to find Sakura.

After a moment, he sensed a faint tug from a spot on his wrist, and he shot his eyes towards the south side of the village - the _opposite_ side of where the hospital was. He sprang forth with more momentum than he knew wise, hoping dearly that his dark thoughts were wrong. Rooftops and steel poles flew past beneath his feet as he narrowed his vision towards the edge of the village, the thick wall of trees beyond where the girl's brief signal had led him.

But then again, maybe it was his imagination. Maybe she was taking a walk. Maybe she needed some space after spending so much time with him. Maybe she forgot something else and needed to go this far to get it. Kisame's mind ran through every possibility, and he desperately tried to filter out the different smells and sounds in the thin, night air until...

_'There.'_

He finally caught the faintest of wisps; the scent of her hair trailing past him and he burst forward past Konoha's walls and landed down into the canopy, blazing a path toward the girl with speed unlike any he'd used before.

He caught a glimpse of pink amidst the leaves, and then...

The shark-man skidded down into the dirt, his feet trailing behind them a crevice of earth and uprooted weeds, until he stopped, his sword pointed directly at one ebony-haired man - a man whose hand was spread over Sakura's forehead, her body rigid and motionless before him.

"Let her go, _now_," he rasped, his breath coming out ragged from his over-exerted lungs.

He didn't care though. Kisame felt rage twist and swell within him as he saw the orange mask, the gleam in the one exposed eye a smug mockery.

"Well, well. Kisame. It's been a while," he said, then swiped his arm away from her forehead as he vanished elsewhere.

Kisame's reflexes were quick, catching Sakura's motionless body before she fell, and holding her tightly against his chest as his eyes narrowed, scanning the surroundings. Unable to locate the Uchiha for the time being, he quickly executed the Mist jutsu, as the surroundings became veiled in a dense layer of mist. He then glanced down at the girl, her eyes shut as her head lolled around in his grasp and his heart pounded against his ribcage at the thought that he might have arrived too late.

"Sakura," he managed, the name coming out gravelly as he desperately searched her face for any movement. He realized then that although motionless, she was still warm - only unconscious. He jumped backwards into some trees, and set her on the ground, knowing he only had seconds. He pulsed some chakra towards his hands, desperately hoping to push it into her own chakra network to wake her up. He wasn't the most adept when it came to chakra control, but his sheer will caused the burst of blue light to shock the girl back into consciousness. With an audible gasp and wide eyes, Sakura's arms shot forward as she grasped onto Kisame's shirt as if she were drowning.

"_Kisame!_" she breathed out, the fear in her voice causing it to waver.

"You're alright, kunoichi," he said, unknowingly pulling the girl close to him, her hand fisted tightly in his shirt as she struggled to return to normal.

"My... my head. He... Madara... I tried-"

"I know. It's okay, you're fine now, you're fine."

Kisame's hand absently wove through the girl's hair as the panic pumping through his veins dulled. He had never thought he'd feel such relief in his life, and now his adrenalin fuelled him in a different way, directing his attention to the enemy.

He laid Sakura back against the tree trunk and rose, his fist at his side clenched as his knuckles turned white.

"I know you're still there. Come out you fucking coward. Come and face me."

A disembodied voice penetrated the dense mist.

"Tsk, tsk. I'm disappointed in you Kisame. To leave Akatsuki... for this? Tell me, what exactly did you hope to accomplish joining forces with this girl?"

Madara broke out in a soft laughter and Kisame's jaw clenched as his knees bent, scanning through the layers of fog. He taunted him from afar, telling Kisame that he was stalling - likely hoping to make use of Sakura still, which hopefully meant he didn't get the information he sought. Then the shark-man noticed another faint chakra presence, and realized Sasuke had come too. So, the master and his puppet were here together, and most likely for ceremonial purposes; after all, Konoha's demise was their ultimate desire, and there was no way either of them would want to miss out.

"You were bold, coming here like this, but let me guess you didn't get what you came for," Kisame said, pinpointing the two men in the fog. He noticed movement from the corner of his eye as Sakura got up in a low crouch, her breathing now steady.

She squeezed his arm in reassurance, and he looked down, noticing the determination in her eyes. She didn't need to say it, but he knew that tonight, she was ready. Ready to end this. It was going to be difficult, but this time, they had the advantage of location. Madara didn't have his ultimate bijuu weapon yet, and he was also not capable of going up against all of Konoha in this state too. And unless he did find out where Naruto was, then the added threat of the nine-tails kid going up against him would deter him for good.

And judging by the two Uchiha's lack of opening moves, that was probably the case.

Kisame nodded towards Sakura, and she disappeared, both of them knowing the strategy they'd use from the last time.

"Well, it was a nice little reunion, but we will see each other some other time. I always get what I want eventually, remember that," Madara said.

Kisame cursed under his breath and sprang towards the Uchiha, not about to let him get away when they were so damn close.

"_No!_ I came here for something too," came another angry voice as Sasuke finally decided to speak up, "And I'm not leaving without it."

His figure emerged, a gray blur amidst the milky white as Kisame stopped to observe this new development.

"Sasuke, we are leaving. _Now_," came Madara's stern voice, his figure still hidden from view.

"I will take down the people who destroyed my clan- who killed my _brother_! You go if you're scared, old man. I don't need you any more."

Kisame tensed, watching the scene play out from behind the oak he leaned against. _Interesting_. He was expecting at least a bit of a fight from Madara, but clearly the man wanted nothing more than to leave. Yet here Sasuke was, with that relentless hatred seeping from his eyes, unable to resist his vengeful urges. Clearly, Madara made a mistake bringing the kid here, Kisame thought, realizing how much of a trigger the village was for the younger Uchiha.

_'Can't control your little prodigy now can you,'_ Kisame thought with a grin, now deftly navigating the mist as he searched for the masked man, hoping to catch him off-guard while he was distracted.

Samehada twitched in his grasp as it anticipated the chakra coming from behind a tree a few meters ahead. Kisame slammed his hand into the ground, causing a pillar of highly pressurized water to erupt from where Madara was, successfully luring the man away as he dodged. He could hear Sakura's grunts behind him and clinks of metal as she fought Sasuke. Now if only he could get Madara out to fight him...

"Come, you Uchiha bastard. Don't prove your little boy-toy right and tell me you're actually scared," Kisame challenged.

"Unlikely," Madara responded, then a ball of fire was aimed towards the shark nin as he dodged, launching a water missile in return, dousing the flames.

Kisame laughed out loud.

"Aw, come on. _The_ Uchiha Madara using measly fire attacks against a water-style user? I don't care what rank you are, you know that won't work," Kisame said, dodging another fireball.

Every time the masked man approached close enough to try and use genjutsu, Kisame adeptly moved to his blind spot, striking with powerful blows from Samehada, hoping to land one on the Uchiha's fluid-like body. The fight reminded him of the spars he and Itachi used to partake in, remembering little details he'd learned like minding the reflection of eyes in the water. Itachi would certainly want this man dead, but as for Sasuke, that was a different story. Kisame kept his momentum constant as he attacked Madara, but every once in a while would keep his senses tuned to the faint cries behind him where Sakura fought the younger Uchiha. She held her own for now, but he would be there in a flash if need be, Madara be damned.

Meanwhile, Sakura stood knees-apart and panting, wiping the sweat from her brow as she glared daggers at her opponent. Sasuke said nothing, running forward again with katana in hand as he prepared to cut Sakura down and get to the Konoha gates.

"Over my dead body," she said, flicking a stream of kunai towards him.

"So be it. Killing you will only make me stronger. And when I'm done," Sasuke said with a chuckle, raising his sword-wielding arm as he prepared to strike downwards toward the girl's neck, "I'll kill Kisame, then Naruto, and Kakashi and everyone else until they know what they did."

Sakura jumped backwards as she dodged his attack, narrowing her eyes as she refrained from spitting out in disgust. She willed herself to ignore the vile words he spoke, realizing that he was not someone she knew anymore. If anything, getting angry would only cloud her focus on the fight, and she was not about to slip up. Not when Kisame was fighting Madara alone. She had to be quick, efficient.

Within seconds, Sakura had bitten her finger, drawing blood as she pushed down against the ground, summoning Kagyuu. The slug immediately sensed Sasuke, and split off into smaller clones as Sakura vanished, her position now untraceable. She watched as Sasuke whipped his head around and she quickly opened the small pouch strapped around her thigh, taking out a vial of purple liquid. She closed her eyes, and with a resolved breath of air, she took a kunai and dropped a fair amount of the potent poison onto the sharp blade.

This was it. A loud bang erupted from behind her as she watched a plume of thick black smoke rise up and then the subsequent sizzle of an extinguished fire thereafter. If she didn't do this now, Sasuke would take more innocent lives. She rubbed her scarred arm, remembering that should she suffer another attack from Amaterasu, she couldn't use her regeneration technique again. One shot. The girl set her jaw and headed towards the figure in the mist.

The earth was wet below his feet as Kisame jumped, delivering blow after sweeping blow at his target, grazing Madara just once as he was mid-jutsu. He had to suppress the urge to use his large-scale water attacks as it would only further lessen the time he had to take Madara down before Konoha's ninja came. Kisame quickened his pace, sending waves of shark missiles at the Uchiha, his stamina unwavering with the massive amount of chakra he had. They passed through him, and Kisame clicked his tongue in frustration, watching as the masked man jumped from a tree branch down and leaping away from his opponent.

_'Oh no you fucking don't,'_ Kisame cursed as he pursued the masked man, who was now heading towards where Sakura and Sasuke fought.

As he approached, Kisame took note of Sakura's dispersed chakra, a result of her slug summon's chakra copying ability and tried to pinpoint her in the midst of it all. Then he finally saw a faint blur in the mist and a clash of metal as he leapt towards the source.

His heart nearly stopped as he saw Sakura in Madara's grasp, his arm tight across her chest and Sasuke rising from the ground. Kisame skidded downwards with increased speed, his eyes fixated on the struggling pink-haired girl within black-clad arms. He saw what looked like heated words exchanged between the two Uchihas, then Madara grabbed Sasuke as well.

Kisame didn't think, just summoned a massive amount of chakra as he swooped down and unleashed a torrent of crashing, angry water, riding it downwards with incredible speed as he reached towards Sakura to pull her away. Instead, the girl had noticed Kisame coming and braced herself for the oncoming wave, using the impact to turn around in Madara's grasp.

As the shark-man dove underwater to grab Sakura, he noticed a swirling blackness manifest and panic gripped him as he realized Madara was about to teleport out. Kisame lunged forward to save her, but all he could hear was Sakura's loud, underwater yell as she whipped around in the man's arms and stabbed him with all the force she could muster.

Her poisoned kunai in hand, the girl thrust forward with a furious yell, adrenalin coursing through her as she felt that tell-tale barrier of skin pierce. Her eyes wide at the luck, she readied her other arm with concentrated chakra and threw a loaded uppercut straight at his diaphragm hearing a definitive snapping of bone and cartilage. The black figure struggled and red tinted the dark blue of the water.

Kisame grabbed Sakura quickly and burst upwards and out from underwater. With a powerful thrust, Kisame's hand splayed down against the water's surface as it slowly receded into the earth.

Sakura coughed up water and fell onto her knees, sinking into the moist ground as she struggled to gulp some oxygen into her lungs.

Kisame felt a pang of guilt as she coughed violently, but realized the giant wave he summoned ultimately saved her from being kidnapped by Madara again. And speaking of which, he turned his attention to the pile of black on the ground by his sandaled foot.

He knew the truth even before noticing the absence of that iconic orange mask. Still, Kisame nudged the body with his foot, turning him slightly to reveal a kunai embedded deep within a concave chest cavity, which was currently staining the earth a dark crimson. Kisame turned towards Sakura's wide-eyed form, watching as she absently wiped mud from her forehead. He wondered if she knew.

"It's him isn't it. It's Sasuke. I killed Sasuke," she sputtered, her words coming out quickly, a wavering thickness to her voice.

Kisame opened his mouth to speak but said nothing. Sasuke wasn't dead yet, but he would be in a bit, judging by the gaping, poisoned wound in his chest. The girl quickly rose, her entire lower half covered in dirt and debris as she put on a brave facade.

"Madara got away. He got away from us Kisame. I'm sorry, I should have-"

"Shh, stop it," Kisame interrupted, then watched as her legs gave way and she fell back into the wet ground, unable to tear her eyes from the unmoving body a few feet in front of her.

Right now, Madara's escape was the least of his worries - in fact it seemed almost absurd. His only concern was with the mess of kunoichi before him, so he held his hand out towards the girl.

"We got him though," Sakura whispered as she mechanically placed her hand in his, eyes tearing away from the Uchiha, and into Kisame's dark gaze. The man said nothing, just pulling the girl up to her feet as she attempted to come to terms with the situation.

"_We got him_," she repeated, completely and utterly at a loss about what to feel or do now.

She swallowed the nervousness back and breathed in deeply. She stepped towards Sasuke's beaten form and stared down, wanting to feel the satisfaction she so desired, but instead felt a clammy hollowness from deep within her. His hair was matted to his forehead, and she noticed movement on his lips as a trickle of blood trailed down and disappeared down to the ground.

She shook, realizing he was still alive- but barely. She wanted to say something profound, but found nothing adequate in her vocabulary. He knew. He understood. He couldn't hurt anyone any more.

"Sakura-sama," came a light voice from below and Sakura's eyes snapped to Kagyuu's pale form at her feet, "several ninja are heading this way. They will be here soon."

Kisame turned his head and realized they had to leave. Sakura wiped her brow again and stood firm.

"Okay, Kagyuu please go and find Kakashi. Tell him that Sasuke... tell him where he is. And tell him I had to leave, and that I'm fine and to not pursue me. Please."

The slug nodded and disappeared under the ground as it went to relay the message.

Sakura turned around and paced back to Kisame. She wanted desperately to bury her face into his chest and have those strong arms around her as she removed herself from this horrid situation, but there was no time.

"I'm ready," she said instead, feeling anything but.

Kisame nodded, "Let's get your things."

They both sped back to Konoha as Sakura quickly grabbed her backpack and some extras before shutting the apartment door with a finalizing click. She didn't look back as she joined Kisame on the roof of the building and they headed west towards Amegakure.

Sakura's heart was a fluttery weight behind her ribcage, but she willed her mind to a blankness as they sped through the treetops and away from the battlefield where a beaten man lay. If she looked back towards the village, she would've noticed lights being turned on as people stirred. There was commotion now in the direction of Sasuke's body, but she focused all of her energy on distilling only the sound of Kisame's coat flapping in the wind ahead of her.

She was still covered in mud and debris, and probably Sasuke's blood too. She sprang off of a branch with exerted force, causing it to nearly snap off as she tried not to think of the Uchiha and what just happened.

_'He deserved it, he deserved it, he deserved it,'_ she repeated through her mind.

She remembered all the people he had hurt - herself included - after joining Orochimaru but it did nothing to make her feel any less... guilty was it? It still didn't sink in. It still wasn't real.

The fluttering of Kisame's heavy coat ceased and he stopped as he waited for her to catch up.

"Let's take a short break," he said as she stopped on the branch he stood on.

"No, let's keep going," she said, her mud-caked hands bracing on her knees as she caught her breath, "we don't need to stop."

"Sakura..." he said, "over-exerting yourself isn't going to help you forget."

Sakura looked up at him with fierce eyes.

"I'm not trying to forget anything!"

Her intended anger was lost in translation, as she just looked more drained and exhausted than anything. Kisame knew she was only trying to appear unaffected, but he wasn't about to call her out on it.

"I'm fine Kisame," Sakura said calmly with a tight-lipped smile, frantically wiping her stained hands against her vest.

He watched for a moment then reached out and stopped her. He took her small hands in his, smelling Sasuke's blood on her skin as he thumbed over her torn knuckles. He wanted to tell her that he understood, but instead remained quiet, listening to her heart beating wildly in the dark night.

"Really Kisame, don't worry," she said, trying immensely hard not to succumb to the magnetic pull she felt towards this man. She didn't want to break down. She didn't want to show him just how horrible she felt. She would keep it together for both their sakes.

"It was inevitable, right? We planned it. I decided Sasuke had to die after that last time, okay? I've accepted it and now Konoha is there to deal with the rest," she said with a clinical detachment.

Kisame let go of her hands, his brow creased in unspoken concern for the girl. She licked her chapped lips and adjusted her backpack strap on her shoulder as she shifted under his intense gaze. Moments later, he took a water bottle from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Alright, let's keep moving then," he said and resumed the course westwards.

Glancing back over his shoulder, Kisame saw her pour the contents of the bottle over her hands as she rubbed the skin raw, and for a brief moment, saw a younger version of himself, on a journey home after completing a mission. After tonight, her dreams would never be the same.

* * *

**A/N:** Man, I had problems with this one! Well the fight mainly and Sasuke's demise since I know many people won't like it and will probably see it as seriously OOC for Sakura. In the end I decided that in my version, it made sense and he had to die. But she still has emotions and didn't kill him in cold blood, so hopefully that's a little more realistic. Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed writing Kisame and Sakura's little "married" moments haha! A taste of things to come, yeah? Hopefully the next chapter update won't take forever! As usual, I've written most of it already, but it seems with me editing takes forever and I'm usually really picky before I submit the final thing. Leave your reviews and let me know what you think as usual!


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N**: Hey guys! In the spirit of spring (or err, summer), I did a bunch of clean-up and rewrote/edited some of the past chapters - particularly the earlier ones. Now that a lot of that novice-writer cringe is gone, I feel like this story flows better as a whole (especially since so many people have been re-reading). AND, AND, AND, I've changed a detail about Sakura's chakra-storing diamond. So, initially I wrote the diamond as being on her wrist _but_ because of recent events in the manga, I've decided to rewrite those parts to have the diamond on her forehead now to better flow with canon. It's still only visible when activated though, and that echo seal Kisame placed on Sakura's wrist was still placed there regardless.

Anyway, enjoy this installment.

* * *

In my  
Nothing  
You meant everything  
Everything to me

_- Nine Inch Nails_

* * *

"And here we are, Haruno-san. It's no penthouse suite, but the view is something else."

Sakura walked into the apartment following after the escort as he switched on the lights. The dusty smell of vacancy hit her immediately, and she glanced around at the empty grayness of the room wondering when the last person had inhabited the space.

"You can see the entire city from here - the docks, the water. In the daytime you'll get a better view."

Sakura just nodded at the well-meaning young man as he drew open the curtains, but she wanted nothing more than to be left alone.

"Thank you, I can manage from here," she said, absently searching her mind for his name.

The man scratched the back of his head awkwardly as if he wanted to say something else, but then decided against it as he left the keys in her hands and walked out with a curt goodbye.

Sakura watched the door close then shrugged the heavy backpack from her shoulder onto the ground, and sat on the edge of the couch in the living area.

Her throbbing, tense muscles begged her to lie down and just drift off into unconsciousness, but she remained sitting, her gaze fixated on the door.

The journey had taken her and Kisame three days - a short amount of time considering the distance between Ame and Konoha. But Sakura had insisted on taking barely any breaks, and her entire body was now sore as a result. She welcomed the pain though, allowing it to distract her from other thoughts which kept trying to creep out from the depths of where she buried them.

_'Buried... buried like-'_

No. She was not going there.

Instead, Sakura rose and stepped towards the window, finding it strange that no streaky rain dotted the glass. She didn't like the city's notorious weather, but somehow tonight, she wouldn't have minded. She would have liked to hear the muted patter of raindrops hitting the windows, because the hollow silence of the small apartment was unnerving.

As she stared out the window, Sakura recalled the meeting with Konan before she was escorted to the apartment. The woman had welcomed her after hearing about what happened, but for some reason, Sakura couldn't remember what exactly she had said during the briefing. Everything since their departure from Konoha was a bit hazy, and really, she was so, so tired.

Konan really _had_ been gracious in letting her stay in Amegakure for however long necessary, and Sakura felt immensely grateful, but it wasn't home. Home was where her job was, her friends, her books, her life.

_'Sasuke's dead body lying in the wet ground.'_

Sakura swallowed hard, and calmly padded towards the bathroom, quickly removing her mud-stained clothing before stepping into the shower stall. She stood unflinchingly as the initial burst of cold water hit her from the shower head, thinking of nothing at all. Blank-faced and stiff, the girl watched as the swirling stream of water turned brown as it travelled towards the drain, taking with it the last physical remnants of Konoha down into the gutters of Amegakure.

She gazed into the water and then closed her eyes as she recalled the crashing of a wave against her, the surge of water dragging her down as a black-clad arm gripped her struggling body. The strength she summoned. The blackness, the bubbles, the heavy weight of pressure as she thrust forward with her arm-

Then the muffled sequence of knocks on a gray door.

"Kunoichi?"

Sakura blinked her eyes open, but remained standing, the steady stream of water on her shoulders numbing her nerve endings in a strangely comforting manner.

There were footsteps outside the door now. Footsteps whose weight and pace she knew and remembered. Predictable and constant.

"Sakura."

The comfortable timbre of a voice that made her feel less like a stranger in a strange land. She hugged herself, but said nothing.

Kisame leaned his back against the bathroom door, arms crossed as he listened to the uninterrupted sound of the shower coming from behind him. He knew the comforts of water all too well.

"I know you're tired, but I think you should at least eat something. You had nothing but those soldier pills the last three days."

She still said nothing, just enjoying the way his voice sounded.

"Well, I'll just leave this food here then."

Kisame set the bag down on the small coffee table and walked back up to the door after a slight pause.

"If you wanna be alone, fine, but I'm not leaving 'til I know you're alive in there."

Her lip twitched in a brief smile, and she turned off the shower.

Quickly wrapping a white bathrobe around herself, Sakura opened the door.

He looked at the girl's meek form, noting where the mud was before now revealed skin with purple and green bruises going from her feet to her knees then upwards to her knuckles - still raw and pink from the fight days before. There were bags under her eyes, and her wet hair stuck to her face, but she brushed it behind her ears, giving him a faint smile.

"You didn't have to," she said, walking over to the couch as Kisame took note of the way she winced with each step across the carpet. Three days of ceaseless travel tended to do that, he thought as he watched her sit down and grab the take-out container.

"There's none for you?" she asked.

"I already ate," he said and sat down next to her.

She wasn't hungry, but ate anyway, despite the nauseating way her stomach threatened to expel anything she swallowed. Even so, Sakura's medic side screamed at her to still her nerves and go through with it. After all, there was something about refusing food that warranted questions of concern, and that was the last thing she wanted right now. So she took a bite of rice, ignoring the protest from her gut in hopes of reassuring the man seated next to her that she was fine.

And she was really.

"Kisame," she said softly, over-chewing the rice in case her throat refused to swallow it down.

"Hm?" he asked, his arms behind his head as he gave her a sidelong glance.

She paused for a second, apparently making up her mind before muttering a small thank you. Kisame frowned.

So, the giant pink elephant would go unaddressed then. Fine, he could deal with that, but clearly, the girl couldn't. He remembered Sasuke's shallow breathing as he turned him over, the way he just felt a strange, hollow, disappointment instead of the satisfaction he so expected - _craved_. Maybe it was because Madara had used the kid as some sort of human shield and got away from them again, but then another small voice in the back of his mind told him it was something else altogether.

He scowled at himself, angry that he hadn't acted quicker - hadn't been there before Sakura had to resort to killing Sasuke herself. Inwardly, he realized he was being completely irrational and that such things were unpredictable amidst fighting two opponents of the Uchiha's calibre, but still, _still_ he wished he had landed the killing blow instead of her - instead of someone whose light-hearted nature he had grown so fond of.

He looked over at Sakura's blank face. It was as if there was a physical weight bearing itself down on her shoulders, causing her to slump down despite her efforts to appear unaffected. She had been suppressing her emotions since they left Konoha, and he wondered when the tightly bound coil was going to snap. He hated seeing her like this, so unnaturally calm, yet obviously anything but. For someone who constantly reacted to things so openly, all he wanted was for her to show some genuine feeling. Sure, he hated girlish emotions and crying, but for some reason, he decided he'd prefer that to this horrible nothingness. It brought back thick, gray memories of an orphan past which he certainly didn't care to entertain any more.

Kisame quickly swept the past to the side, deciding he'd be there when she was ready to drop the facade. Right now though, all he wanted to do was get away from the uncomfortable tension of the unspoken words.

"Well, I'm going to bed. I'll be going to see Konan again in the morning to brief her on some things. If you're able to-"

"I _am_ able," Sakura interjected hastily.

He refrained from sighing in exasperation at her, then turned, walking towards the door.

"I'll come with you," she added almost desperately.

He paused.

"Fine. I'll come by at nine sharp. Get some sleep."

Kisame left without looking back, not wanting to see that foreigner's face marring the spot where Sakura's used to be. He could only hope that he would see it again.

.-.-.

That night Sakura couldn't sleep. It wasn't really unexpected, but she was hoping for some respite nonetheless. She had assumed that the stark quiet of this strange new apartment would help numb her mind into slumber, but it only aided in allowing her thoughts to voice themselves even louder. And now, more than ever, she'd wished Kisame was there with her to help fill the unfamiliarity with something known.

But of course, he'd left because she repelled him.

_'I'm okay, though. And I don't need Kisame; I don't need anyone. It happened just like how it was supposed to. I'm just going through the standard phases of grieving,' _she said to herself in the most objective way possible.

She turned in the bed, staring up at the black ceiling, realizing she had fisted her hands in the sheets before hastily placing them on her chest.

_'Just gotta ride it out, and I'll be fine again. I _am_ fine. Really. It's just my psyche doing its thing. I'm a logical, rational person. And like any logical, rational person - _shinobi_ - I did what I had to. I saved many people in the process,'_ she repeated in her mind like a mantra.

_'I don't feel guilty. I did what I had to. It was my duty.'_

Sakura turned to the side with a heavy sigh, gazing out the window into the supposedly beautiful cityscape outside.

_'If I didn't do it, Kakashi would have gone after him. And what if he died? Then someone else would go after Sasuke and more people would die. See? You did the right thing.'_

Sakura's eyes felt heavy, her mind going on like a broken record, justifying this, hypothesizing that. She turned to the ceiling again, her thoughts unrelenting and when her eyes found a moment to close, they only shot back open, fixated on the stark nothingness of the concrete again.

Sometime deep within her continuous rationalizing, there was a knock at the door, and Sakura squinted her scratchy eyes, vaguely wondering why she didn't notice how bright the room was. Did she forget to turn off the lights?

_'No...'_

The knock came again, and Sakura's eyes widened, her arm shielding the sensitive orbs from the beaming sunlight from the window. She stumbled hastily out of bed, uttering a hushed curse as it dawned on her that she was up all night, and Kisame's words echoed in her mind - _I'll come by at nine sharp._ Utterly exhausted, Sakura threw a shirt and shorts on as quick as possible, ignoring her sore legs and dry eyes. She tied her hair up haphazardly as another bout of knocking spurred her even further into action.

"C-coming!" she called out, her voice cracking from disuse.

_'Shit, shit, shit, Sakura. You idiot!'_ she berated herself as she fished some mouthwash out of her backpack and gulped back a fair amount, swishing vigorously.

She could almost see Kisame's frustration from behind the entrance, and she hurried out of the room and lunged at the doorknob, swinging it open.

Kisame was about to greet her, but then stopped as his eyes settled over Sakura's puffy complexion.

"Good morning," she managed after a second, clearing her throat and offering an apologetic smile.

Kisame gave the girl a dubious once-over, but decided not to comment.

But then again...

"You sure you wanna come? Looks like you could use the extra sleep."

Sakura ignored him, and shut the door behind her a little more loudly than she intended.

_'Point taken,'_ he thought dimly, heading towards the headquarters.

They didn't speak as they made quick work of navigating the tightly intertwined pathways, finally arriving at the tallest building in the city.

Upon reaching the top floor, they were quickly ushered into Konan's office and Sakura almost hurled herself at the chair when the woman motioned for them to sit.

Kisame set his sword down and managed a brief glance at Sakura's slouched form, clearly trying to steady her breathing lest she give away her exhaustion. He watched the way her toes periodically flexed in her sandals, bruised and likely sore. Konan's voice broke through his observation, bringing him back.

"Sakura, I didn't expect you so soon," she said, also clearly noticing the younger girl's state, but declining to comment on it. Instead, she picked up a scroll from the table, and Sakura gulped at the familiar ribbon tied around it.

"But now that you're here, I might as well give you this," she said, holding it out, "It came in earlier this morning."

Sakura swallowed her nervous trepidation and took the rolled up document, dreading the contents within.

Konan paused for a moment, glancing at Kisame before speaking again.

"You can read it later. Right now I wanted to discuss something else."

Sakura looked up, glad for the diversion. The last thing she wanted was to read the document which officially condemned her as a rogue nin.

Instead the woman wasted no time in briefing them on the state of affairs concerning the looming threat of war. The various countries were getting wind of rumors about Madara, and there was a general state of unrest. Amegakure was in dire need of allies, and more importantly a tactic on how to fight the Uchiha and whatever weapons he had at his disposal. Sakura was finding it difficult to concentrate on the conversation, her eyes wanting desperately to close and lull her into sleep. And god, her feet hurt.

Then there was the surprisingly heavy weight of the scroll still nestled on her lap, which added an extra layer of anxiety to her building state of disarray. Would it be Tsunade's handwriting inside? The council members? Danzo? Would they tell her about Sasuke? Would they at least let her know where they buried him? If so, would she ever be able to visit the grave? Just what kind of visitation rights - if any - was she allowed?

"Sakura?"

The girl nearly jumped in her seat, completely taken aback by the sound of her name.

"Yes, Konan-san?"

The woman's face finally showed a flash of pity, and Sakura wanted to sink away into nothingness at the embarrassment.

"Since you could be staying here for a while, I am offering you a position at the medical ward, given your skills. If you would like to, of course. I could also find something else for you to do if-"

Sakura nearly buckled to her knees in relief. Something to do. Something to take her mind off things. Something to occupy the time, make her feel useful, make her feel like herself again.

"I would love that," she said, almost breathlessly.

Kisame noted the slight enthusiasm lacing her tired voice, allowing himself to hope that the girl would return to herself sometime soon.

"Excellent. I'm glad to hear it, I've heard nothing but the best concerning your abilities."

Sakura tried not read too deeply into that, and only nodded with a smile.

Konan rose from her seat, signalling their briefing was adjourned.

Kisame shrugged his sword back on and watched as Sakura graciously bowed to the indigo-haired woman.

"If I may, I would like to begin as soon as you'll allow it, Konan-san."

Konan looked slightly hesitant, but she quickly nodded.

"Of course. I will have someone take you to the medical ward immediately."

An escort came in soon after, taking Sakura with him as Kisame stood with Konan in the doorway, arms crossed as he watched their retreating forms.

"She hasn't slept," he said.

Konan didn't say anything for a moment, observing the man's stony face from the corner of her eye.

"Neither have you," she said, and he shifted a little, noticing her eyes on him.

"Everyone copes in different ways, Kisame. She's going through a lot right now. The best you can do is give her some space until she comes to accept what has happened. It took me a while to accept having a hand in Jiraiya-sensei's death, and I cannot imagine how it must feel to be the one to cause it directly. Sakura is strong, she will overcome this."

Kisame blinked after a while and shrugged.

"And she has you, if anything," she added.

The man looked taken aback, feeling odd at the comment. He decided to ignore it, and change the subject.

"Well, I'm going to go figure out what I can do about this war shit in the meantime. If anything comes up, you know where to find me."

Konan nodded, and watched as Kisame left, a brief flicker of bright orange hair surfacing in her memories before dissipating again, as she tried not to think too deeply of regrets.

.-.-.-.

Despite how utterly exhausted she was from her long day tending to a foreign land's shinobi, Sakura only managed to get an hour of sleep before jerking awake in the middle of the night. Again.

If she hadn't looked around the pale, empty walls of the room she was in, Sakura could have sworn someone's cold hand had squeezed her shoulder. Then again, insomnia _did_ cause hallucinations and general paranoia, so there was also that. A cold sheen of sweat beaded across her skin like a veil, and she gulped the nervous terror down, listening to the fall of rain against concrete and steel.

It had been a few days - however many exactly was a mystery to her - since Sakura's new position at Rain's medical ward. Her sleep patterns since hadn't improved, each night offering her only minutes of shut-eye until she awoke again. She was so damn tired, but the fact was, she didn't want to dream. Not about Konoha, nor Madara, Kabuto, or Sasuke. And she wanted to be at home in her comfortable bed, with her familiar sheets and walls and shelves, not here in this cold and unforgiving city. Not alone in this stale, anonymous box of an apartment.

_'I'm so pathetic,'_ she thought, staring up at the ceiling, _'Scared of dreams, like some child.'_

With a weary sigh, she pulled herself up and padded towards the bathroom.

The staff at Amegakure's medical ward were quick to welcome her that afternoon after leaving Konan's office, and it was soon apparent why; there was a huge shortage of medical nin and no end to the beaten and injured shinobi that required their aid. After a brief tour, Sakura was quickly put to work and settled into a comfortable rhythm much like the one she was accustomed to at home. The change of scenery at the hospital had successfully taken her mind off of everything that happened recently, even though her body felt like it would collapse from the ceaseless activity.

Sakura wiped her neck and shoulders with a damp towel, ignoring the snap in her joints as she walked back towards her bed. Hunched over, she sat and looked at the upturned palm in her lap, flexing her bruised fingers inwards.

_'I should probably heal this...'_ she thought absently, her gaze travelling down to her wrists instead.

She placed the towel on the bed, her fingers trailing a circle over the spot on the wrist where Kisame's echo seal had long-since faded, and she closed her eyes.

Yes, Kisame - who she was actively avoiding since their departure from one another days before.

_'Was it three days? I think it was a Wednesday... so maybe it was only two.'_

Sakura rubbed her eyes with her palms, wanting to turn her stupid brain off already.

She rose, feeling her sensitive stomach roil at the movement, and considered taking yet another cold shower in hopes of getting some much needed sleep. As she got up, her elbow managed to knock over a few paper cups off of the nightstand, and she cursed as the remnants of old coffee seeped out from one of them. Hastily dropping to her knees, the girl grabbed the towel from the bed and began scrubbing the carpeted floor, glad that the cups were nearly empty and not much liquid had spilt.

And perhaps she should make herself a cup because according to the clock, it was only midnight and she needed something to fuel her considering her shift didn't start for another nine hours.

"Except I have the day off tomorrow," she said, her voice unnaturally loud in the quiet room, "and tomorrow is actually today already. I have the day off _today_."

Sakura stopped her frantic scrubbing, the stain long-gone and her arms shaking like leaves. She forced herself to still, hating how neurotic she had become.

And why was it so damn quiet? Didn't this place have a radio or something?

She threw the towel across the room and sat on the floor, her back against the bed as she wiped her brow with her arm.

"Maybe I'll come into work anyway, god knows they need the help."

_Yes_. She needed to feel useful - it was the only chance she got to feel sane. Being in this hollow crate of an apartment only made things worse, and gave her mind free reign to think.

And it made her feel incredibly alone.

Sakura sighed and got up. She walked towards the window and stared out at nothing in particular, but all she could see was a black void peppered with odd spots of colored light. The rain hit hard but it was so quiet inside the anonymous walls she was in, it threatened to consume her.

And then, her mind drifted to the scroll which she had tucked away somewhere days before. The scroll which indeed was what she had dreadfully anticipated. For the millionth time since reading it, Sakura recalled the neatly written kanji, branding her the traitor to the village she had so valiantly yearned to protect. And the worst part, was that it was Tsunade who had written it - she could recognize her hand despite how sleep-deprived she was. She tried to envision her steely shishou behind her desk, pen in hand as she wrote. She could almost feel the incredible hurt and betrayal it must have caused, and Sakura swallowed the bile which rose at her own disgust with herself.

And for the millionth time, she had to forcibly remind herself that she was doing all of this because of Naruto, and because of everyone else she cared about. Sacrifice.

And sacrifice she did._  
_

_'No.'_

But the thought continued to linger, because once again, she recalled that the scroll failed to mention anything about Sasuke. It was as if they _purposely_ omitted the detail. And that was fine, because really, all she wanted to do was forget that any of that had happened and move on, but it possessed her, constantly prodding at the back of her brain and just adding to the weight she felt in her legs as she walked - as she did _anything_ for that matter.

If only she had someone to talk to. Or rather, someone to talk to _her_, so she could focus on that and nothing else. Someone like...

No, but Kisame knew. He knew because he was _there_, and that meant that she would have to talk about it eventually.

_'Unless...'_

Maybe he had forgotten. Maybe it blew over with the days that passed. Maybe he didn't care anymore.

And although the thoughts should have encouraged her, somehow that cumbersome stone just bore down on her further, as she gulped the thick saliva down at the base of her throat.

Instead, Sakura decided not to give it anymore thought, as she donned a raincoat, strapped on her backpack, and with resolve headed for the door.

Walking out into the rainy night, it occurred to Sakura that she was being incredibly selfish. She stood amidst the steel constructions around her, and considered returning back to her loaned home, despite what ghosts lingered there waiting to haunt her. Gazing longingly towards the direction where Kisame's apartment was, she wondered if he'd be mad at her for intruding in on his space. She wondered if he'd turn his back and tell her to go. The clench in her gut stilled her steps, but after a short pause she continued onwards. The leaden weight of loneliness was just too much. She wanted to listen to his crappy jokes, or hear his sardonic laughs. Just be in his presence, if nothing.

She wanted to feel his warm arms around her as she sunk into his chest and drained this horrible weight out into the fabric of his shirt.

No. She was past that. Sakura walked on, her legs carrying her across the steel bridges which connected the city until she reached the building perched high above Amegakure, finding it strange that the height no longer bothered her so much. She just wanted to see his face, even if he slammed the door in hers.

Sakura paused for a moment, then knocked.

It didn't take long before she heard those familiar strides as they reached the door, and her muscles began to shake again - from caffeine, trepidation or the cold rain, she was unsure. Within moments, the harsh fluorescent light from inside bathed her in the darkness, and she struggled to compose herself as she squinted, gazing up at the silhouette of the man before her. _God_, it felt good to see him again.

"Sakura?" he asked, his voice tinged with a hint of concern.

The rain pelted down hard, half-obscuring the girl's soft-spoken tone.

"Can I stay with you tonight? If it's alright with you."

_'Stay?'_ Well, that was not what she set out to say or do exactly, but now that it was out there, it was too late to take back.

Kisame was taken aback by the request, but stepped aside to let her in.

"Yeah, sure," he said almost breathlessly, watching the girl walk inside as he closed the door behind him.

She purposely refused to meet his gaze, just muttering a small thanks. Kisame absently noted how the scene before him had played out once before - long ago - when she had sought him out during her mission in the rainy city. It was strange to think of how far back that was, so instead he spoke.

"Is everything alright?" he asked finally, watching the girl's stiff shoulders slump a little at his voice. She shrugged off her backpack and then turned towards him.

"Yeah, it's just... sorry," she said, fearful of meeting his gaze.

She looked incredibly tired - even more so than the last time he'd seen her a few days back - and Kisame found himself aching to brush the wet locks from her face so he could see her clearly.

"You apologize too much."

Sakura felt a twist in her gut at the fact that this man wasn't rejecting her. His voice just sounded so damn _inviting_, she struggled hard to maintain her composure and not break down right then and there. She took in a deep breath and straightened, brushing her bangs to the side and removing her coat.

"Thanks," she said with a small smile as he took the garment from her and hung it.

"I didn't wake you did I?" she asked, feeling slightly more at ease as conversation settled among them.

"No," he said, disappearing behind a wall as he continued, "I was reading."

Sakura noticed the jumbled mess of scrolls laid out on the low table in the living room as a sound of dull clattering came from the direction where Kisame was. She bent down and removed her boots, sucking in air sharply after a blister caught on the tough material, throwing her off balance a little.

As if her feet had been numb all day, they decided to let their state of neglect be known as Sakura felt the aching throb coming from her soles and travelling upwards to the rest of her abused muscles. The injured girl walked towards the couch and sat down, rifling through her bloated backpack for some much needed medication. With a roll of bandages and some ointment in hand, she began to meticulously tend to her bruised and bloody feet, trying incredibly hard not to react to the steadily rising pain.

Kisame was busy unrolling the futon he just procured, laying it out in the living room as he watched the hunched girl from the corner of his eye. He had already taken note of the sharp scent of her coppery blood and felt a strange pull towards her.

"I'll take the futon, you can have my room," he said after a while, trying to brush the unsettling feeling aside .

"No, that's okay, I'll sleep here," she said, looking up from her task.

"You're injured kunoichi-"

"It's just blisters. Please, Kisame. I'd feel better about it."

He stood with arms crossed, watching the girl soothe some balm onto her tender skin.

"Then let me help you with that," he said, walking over.

She felt the couch shift as his weight settled next to her, and her breath hitched in her throat as his hand brushed over hers, taking the rolled bandage from her fingers.

Sakura's muscles were completely still, her breath trapped in her lungs as she felt that tell-tale sharpness in her throat manifest - as if his smallest touch could shatter the armor she'd meticulously built for herself. No, no, _no_, she repeated, clenching her teeth with a near-audible sound.

_'Please, just let me have tonight,'_ she thought to herself desperately, _'Just tonight, and then I'll be okay again.'_

A scroll from the table in front of them slipped and fluttered towards the ground then, the papery sound interrupting the breathless silence and Sakura gulped the weighty thickness back down, feeling utterly relieved. She pulled her hand back towards her person, snatching the bandages back swiftly.

"I'm a medic. I don't need help," she said finally, the bitterness lacing her words mainly aimed at herself for nearly giving in.

Kisame scowled. He wanted to shake her, to get some sort of visceral reaction out of her - hell, he would have even elicited a midnight spar with her out in the rain if she wasn't in such rough shape. But despite Sakura's efforts to be aloof, he felt like there was a crack in the plaster she encased herself in - after all, something made the girl come here tonight. For now, he'd be accommodating.

"Fine, have it your way then. It's late, and I'm heading to bed. If you need anything, just wake me up," he said and padded off to his room.

Sakura heard the door shut behind him, and gazed longingly at the smooth wood, wishing she could peel away from the cocoon she was in and stop with the horrible charade. But it really _was_ selfish, and she had already invaded his space enough as it was. She cared about Kisame enough not to have him deal with her emotions, and that thought alone made the girl take a deep breath and continue on with her healing process.

Despite how much she tried to clear her mind, her brain would not stop relaying images from the fight to her. She screwed her eyes shut, not wanting to think about it anymore and reached into her bag to retrieve a salve when her hand brushed over a small vial of liquid. She pulled it out, the pale yellow contents in the glass vial shaking slightly in her hand.

_'The antidote...'_

The antidote to the poison she used on Sasuke.

She remembered precisely all the days she spent bent over her desk testing out chemical after chemical to make sure she made the deadliest, yet scentless and tasteless mixture possible. It would have to be fast-acting and efficient, but also have an antidote - just in case. Back then, she never would have thought she'd end up using the deadly poison on a former teammate, but fate had a habit of throwing monkey wrenches into plans where she was concerned. She clenched her jaw as her eyes glossed over, and she quickly rammed the small container back inside a zipped compartment, hoping to never see it again. As she slammed the vial back in her bag, it made a loud clink as it struck another glass object. Sakura's hand wrapped around it, her heart sinking when she pulled out the bottle of cognac. Her brows knitted in anguish, trying incredibly not to cry as she looked at it, wondering how this night could get any worse.

And _why_ exactly she thought coming to sleep in Kisame's apartment was a good idea in the first place, because the solace she so desperately sought in his presence was quickly providing the complete opposite.

Her eyes trailed down towards the object in her hand, thumbing the label as she licked her bottom lip.

_Comfort_.

Comfort and reprieve. She felt beyond pathetic, looking longingly at a bottle of some probably-potent liquor, the temptation steadily rising.

Sakura's lips twisted in disgust, as she stuffed the bottle back into her bag. Instead, she put on a dry set of pyjamas and grabbed the sheets Kisame had laid out for her on the unrolled futon and hastily prepared for sleep.

And for an hour, or perhaps longer, she lay there surrounded in his scent, her eyes unblinking as the loneliness from earlier settled once more upon her chest like a rock.

_'Just one,'_ her mind repeated again and again.

_'If I just have one drink, maybe I can relax. Maybe it'll help.'_

Sakura strained her ears, listening to the barely-audible sound of Kisame's snoring, and before she had a chance to rethink her actions, she slipped out of the thin sheets and in a fluid motion, pulled the long bottle out from her backpack.

She walked a few steps behind the wall separating the living area from the kitchen, and soundlessly sat down at the small table. Gulping down her trepidation, Sakura clutched the heavy bottle to her chest then set it down after a moment.

She sat in silence, eyeing the bottle in front of her, a beacon of light in the darkness of the apartment. Her eyes glazed over as she stared at the outside light reflecting on its smooth glass surface, desperate for some solace from her mind.

She was a medic. She knew better. But _oh,_ if it wasn't tempting to give into the liquid numbness alcohol would provide. And she was so tired already, and really, she wouldn't need _much_...

_'Over-exerting yourself won't help you forget,'_ she recalled in the deep voice of the shark-man who slept in the room nearby. Her sore muscles tensed as they reminded her for the countless time that night that she had pushed herself too far. She was sore, yes, from over-exertion and Kisame was right - she didn't forget.

Her heart clenched in her chest as she felt the pain creep back. It was the minute details that threatened to crush her - the weight of Madara's gloved hand against her forehead, the force of her steel kunai puncturing flesh, the locks of short black hair strewn out in the mud, the thick, angry strokes of ink on parchment sealing her fate. Sakura screwed her eyes shut as she leaned back against the chair again, hoping when she reopened them, the bottle of liquor would be gone along with everything she wanted to drown with it. Her eyes reopened and settled on the gold label on the bottle, noting a fluorescent green shining on it. She passed her eyes across the room, noticing a clock there indicating the time. She really did know better than to get drunk at three in the morning, but the fact was that it hurt.

It hurt _really_ fucking bad.

And it was just one drink.

Her finger traced the round edge of the stopper, and before she could go further, Sakura heard soft footfalls approaching behind her. Panic seized her as she grabbed the neck of the liquor bottle in an attempt to conceal it, but it was too late.

She had stood and fumbled, quickly trying to hide her shame, but before she knew it a hand was on hers, still gripping the bottle.

Her heart felt like it was in her throat now, beating impossibly loud in the heavy silence.

"I was just- I couldn't sleep..." she stammered, her voice cracking as she could feel the gaze of the man behind her, piercing through her very person. She closed her eyes, feeling completely defeated, her muscles throbbing horribly at the movement.

He knew, of course. The minute she appeared at his doorstep he knew there was something very dark threatening to consume her, and it was only a matter of time. And really, he had become so finely tuned to sense her distress, which right now was at an unbearable peak to him, let alone her. He wouldn't allow it to take her like it had taken many a shinobi before.

"Don't do this to yourself," Kisame said, his hand slipping down her own to grasp the bottle and take it from her trembling hold. She couldn't see him, only able to feel the heat emanating from his chest pressed against her back, his arm wound across her front as if anchoring her lest she fall. She screwed her eyes shut, wanting nothing more than to disappear.

A soft thunk interrupted the silence as Kisame set the alcohol back onto the table and moved to stand in front of her. She stared off to the side, humiliated and angry that he witnessed her like this. Always weak, always so damn _weak_.

Weak like the first time she saw him shackled to the wall, unable to kill him. Weak because he had come to her rescue time and time again since then. Weak because she had let Madara coax her out of her apartment and capture her. Weak because she couldn't come to terms with killing Sasuke - the one _right_ thing she'd done since meeting the man who now looked at her with those intense eyes in the darkness of his apartment.

She wanted to tell him to leave, and lash out and get _really fucking angry_ at his intrusion, but deep down she was immensely relieved that he was here.

"Tell me, kunoichi..." he started in that baritone she so desperately craved.

Sakura shuddered, feeling something break inside her as his words reached her ears.

That stinging pain clogged her throat again and she wavered, fiercely stifling the flood which so desperately wanted to be released. _Tell me_, his words echoed in her mind, coaxing that writhing something out from the very depths within her.

Tell me.

He didn't say what, because she knew already. He was inviting that horrible thing she tried so damn hard to save him from, and she felt herself buckle from his warmth. So damn weak as usual.

"Sasuke's dead because of me."

The words fell from her lips like lead, stagnating in the silence for an impossible eternity.

"Yes, he is," Kisame confirmed, his hand absentmindedly drifting across the side of her arm - the injured one, he noted, feeling the texture as he traced the marred skin, waiting.

_Crack_. His words were a pickaxe chipping away at her and she shook, the combination of his touch causing something within her to snap and burst forth.

"I killed him. I poisoned my kunai and I stabbed him in the chest," she said, the words shaking her as they came out. As she heard them for the first time.

And Kisame said nothing, his hand still trailing up her arm. He waited and she hated him for it.

"What, is that what you want from me? Some sort of fucking confession to help me get over what happened and move on?" she ground out, her teeth clenched as her hands balled into tight fists at her sides.

Kisame looked her dead in the eyes. She found no judgement, no pity, no mockery just...

_Crack. _

Sakura's lip trembled.

"You wanna know how I feel? I feel like a fucking failure, okay?" she said, her words wavering as she began to slip to that place she tried to reign herself in from. She stood there on the edge just waiting for him so he could push-

"I've betrayed Konoha, I've betrayed my friends, I betrayed Naruto by killing his best friend," she said, then she closed her eyes as her voice slightly dimmed.

"And I betrayed _you_ Kisame. I was supposed to help you take down Madara. I was supposed to be strong so that you didn't think you were stuck with some pathetic weakling as a partner, but you still had to come to my rescue when he found me. Sasuke tried to kill us both, but this is how I feel after all of that. After he did this to my goddamn arm, I still just _can't_-"

Kisame watched the girl's words waver as her anger waned and was replaced by the heavy sadness that so desperately wanted to be released. Without thinking, he closed the distance between them and encircled his arms around her firmly, feeling the girl's shaky body pressed against his as she finally let out a soft sob against his chest.

"You're not a failure, kunoichi."

Sakura let out a choked, humorless laugh.

"_Kunoichi_. You're always calling me that, and right now I feel like the shittiest ninja there is."

"You can't tell east from west, you can't cook, and you definitely aren't a very good killer, but you're a great ninja."

Sakura's eyes widened as she looked up at Kisame's own darkened gaze.

"I just wanted to save him. I thought I could - I _really_ did..."

He raked a hand through her hair.

"You of all people should know that some people can't be saved."

Her feet numbed. She _did_ know - she remembered every face that withered beneath her blazing green chakra as she desperately tried to keep them from the darkness. The last puffs of air. The deflating chest. The cooling of blood beneath the skin. The horrible, unbroken beeping that resonated within the operating rooms on a daily basis as medics raised their hands in defeat and announced times of death. The snap of latex gloves coming off. The rustle of cool linen as it covered the steadily-cooling bodies. Then the anxious quiet amidst the beeping as eyes shifted between one another, wondering who would volunteer to break the news.

She hated the death, she really did. And as much as she had hardened herself in the last years in not mourning over each cold body, Sakura learned that the hardest thing to overcome was what was left behind. The husbands, the wives, the children, the friends. She hated being the one with the burden of delivering the news, and so she barely did, always slipping away into dark cracks and having someone else take it on because in the end, Sakura realized there was nothing worse. The hopeful, waiting faces outside, then the look of shock, the immense grief as it etched its way along each facial muscle, then the subsequent outpour of tears, of anguish. That realization that they were truly, truly gone.

And now, she felt like she was the one on the receiving end of that carefully constructed ritual. It was as if Sasuke's death had just become news to her, but Kisame's gaze didn't harbor the same rehearsed sympathy she was trained to use. He looked at her as if he could see deep within, and lure out whatever dark things she hid beneath the surface. Gulping back the lump in her throat, another stream of tears slid down her cheeks.

He said nothing, his hand moving up against her arms, and Sakura sucked in a breath of air as Kisame trailed across a tender swath of nerves on the back of her arm, bringing her back from the blackness she was revisiting. She closed her eyes, remembering his hands when he first touched her there - when the skin was broken and seeping blood around burnt crevices.

No, some people couldn't be saved, but sometimes, _sometimes_...

"Sometimes they can," she said, barely audible even in the silence, looking up at him.

And the physical reminder might have been ugly, but what it brought was anything but. He was here - open and available as a vessel for her mourning. Kisame had saved her from Kabuto's lab, from the desert, from Sasuke, and Madara and now, she wanted him to do so just once more - to save her from herself.

He watched the array of emotions play out on her face, and then her eyes gazed up towards him, and in the light that shone through, he saw the intense yearning in those green irises. He heard the unspoken words, and intrinsically stepped closer towards her. Pulled by some unknown force, Kisame lifted a hand up to the side of her face, his thumb brushing through the wet streaks marring her face. He could hear her heart beating loudly in the loaded silence now, unable to tear his eyes from her parted lips. Something within him roared to protect her, to stop the distressed anguish she felt, and he clenched his jaw with fierce restraint, even as his hands around her waist flexed intrinsically, pulling her closer to him. Sakura gasped at the new feeling, her chest about to burst from her erratic heart. His gaze was profound and filled with something she had never before seen from him, and with uncontrollable magnetism, her hand reached up and traced one of the grooves on his face, her own desire reflected in her soft touch.

Kisame closed his eyes, his restraint failing him by the second. Her fingers trailed ever so softly against his cheek, revisiting a path she burned there once before. Yet now, it carried with it something much different. He looked down at the girl, gazing deep into her glassy eyes and wanted to take away that which had wounded her so deeply. Her hands now moved against his chest, delicate and hesitant, as if searching for something but unsure of what.

Every touch of her fingertips shook his control, and he found himself inching closer and closer to her. He heard her nervous gulp, and she lifted her head up to look at him, eyes wide and anticipating. He knew then that he wanted this woman, and perhaps it would be his undoing, but he really wanted to give in just this once. Just to see that sadness from her eyes disappear.

Kisame bent down, unable to resist the girl's pull anymore. His eyes traced those soft, parted lips of hers, and without hesitation, he kissed her.

Sakura's heart stopped for a second as his lips connected with hers, but the wave of longing which followed overwhelmed every sense within her. The shaking hands on his chest now fluttered upwards, towards his collarbone as she felt herself unravel under him. Kisame wound his own hands tighter around her waist as he kissed her again, more fiercely this time, succumbing to the mounting desire within him. How long had he wanted this? It didn't matter now, nothing did except for the way this tiny girl felt in his arms. He could taste the salty tears on her trembling lips, could feel her heart against his chest as it vibrated through him, warring for dominance with his own. Her hesitation was quickly dissipating as her hands wound around his neck, standing on her toes as she struggled to adjust to his height.

Kisame was quick to notice, and without missing a beat, quickly lifted her up, supporting her as he kissed her again with renewed passion. Sakura wrapped her legs around his waist, the sensation sending a jolt of heady desire through him. His hand traveled up her side and she gasped as a wave of goosebumps erupted on her skin. The small sound fanned his burning lust for the girl and he kissed her even harder.

Sakura had never felt this way before, her body feeling like it had ignited. She broke from the kiss, her lips trembling as she rested her forehead against his, both shinobi breathing heavily.

"Please... please don't let me go," she breathed out, her voice wavering.

Kisame's lip quirked up in a small smile, the depth of her words not lost on him.

"I can't," he whispered against her neck, bending down to trace the smooth skin with his lips, "even if I tried."

She let out a soft, choked sob, craning her head back as she let the man take her. Tears trailed down her cheeks as she struggled with her overwhelming emotions. Never had she thought anyone would want a girl like her - not like this, so _wholly_.

And not after seeing her so broken.

She lifted her head back up, her hands raking feverishly through his hair as she renewed the kiss. She wanted everything he could give her, and she wanted to pour her sadness into him and have him make her happy again. Kisame opened his mouth against hers, snaking his tongue in between her parted lips as he relished the feel of her body pressed against him, her fingers on his scalp, and the overwhelming way she tasted. Time had stopped and he didn't care about anything else anymore. He kissed her deeply, his tongue intertwined with hers as her pelvis moved deliciously against him, breathing heavier as his hands moved up and under her shirt.

Kisame couldn't hold back much more. He cupped her breast over her bra as he kissed her, both of them anticipating the next wave of heat as they explored one another. He adjusted his arm around her waist, pulling her close as the hand still on her breast moved, pulling her shirt up and over her head. The way she had arched back for him made his breath catch in his throat, and she blushed at the way he looked at her. Kisame brought his other arm to grip her behind and his lips connected with hers with even more intensity.

Not breaking the kiss, he walked over to his bedroom, Sakura's legs instinctively winding tighter around him as he carried her. His tongue was smooth against hers, and if she could think properly, she would have been surprised that his teeth didn't get in the way. And he tasted so dark and rugged, like forests and moss and sea foam, and she wanted more - wanted to know every part of him like he knew her.

At some point, Sakura felt his body bend forward as her back connected with the soft mattress. Suddenly his intoxicating scent was all around her as she tangled her hands in his sheets and waited for this man to repair that which had shattered within her. Kisame's hands slowly moved back under her, wanting to feel her warm skin flush against his. He broke away from her lips, hands on the hem of his t-shirt as he prepared to take it off. He paused, taking in the sight of her hair splayed against his pillow, her chest rising and falling with her quick breaths. The light from the window cast bars against her small frame, bringing emphasis to the bags under her eyes - the redness that lined them reminding him of just how vulnerable this girl was. The lust in his eyes quickly gave way to concern then, and he watched a blush rise on her cheeks as she glanced away from his scrutiny.

Kisame paused for a moment, his body still towering over hers and he sighed deeply, sweeping a lock of her hair from her face behind her ear.

It was then that he realized he had gone too far, that his desire for this woman was misplaced. She was here because of someone else, after all.

"I won't do this to you," he said, his voice heavy with his own disappointment.

Sakura's heart sunk. She feebly moved her arm over her bra-clad chest and bit back the incredible wave of hurt and embarrassment which washed over her, not daring to look into his face for fear of what she'd see there. Kisame hated himself right then, hated that his own stupid desire had taken him this far. Yes, he _did_ still want her, but not like this. He wanted her to want him just as much, and that was something he had never experienced nor cared for with anyone prior. He would not take advantage of her in the moment of her deepest weakness, when her heart was ready to latch on to anything for reprieve - especially not if there was a chance she'd regret it later. That thought alone was enough to cement his resolve, and it caused a gripping tightness in his chest. He ran a hand through his hair as he pushed himself away from her, but her own shot out and clutched the fabric of his shirt, stopping him.

He looked down at the hand, then at Sakura, still refusing to meet his eyes.

"Please."

He swallowed hard, finding it difficult to breathe at the sheer pleading in her voice.

"I can't bear it if you leave now, Kisame. Please, _stay_. I know it's selfish of me, but I can't watch you go. I can't lose you too."

The man's heart skipped a beat at the way she bared herself so openly to him, and he absently nodded, knowing he was unable to deny her anything. If only she knew just how selfish he thought himself.

_But_ _I can't lose you too_.

And if only she knew how deeply it cut him, the lingering ghost of someone else in her words.

"I'll stay."

He leaned back forward slightly, casting a shadow over her as his lips brushed her forehead - the one she hated so much - lingering on her skin for a few moments before breaking away and settling in beside her.

Her eyes were wide, having expected complete rejection at her candid request, and she fought the urge to cry again. Sakura lay there frozen as she tried to steady her ever-beating heart.

A faint rustle of fabric resounded in the room as a thin sheet fluttered over her still-hot skin. After a moment, she turned to her side, abandoning the last shreds of dignity within her as she inched closer to the laying man. The fact was, whatever he had done to her with his words and his heated touch had helped lighten that heaviness inside, and she wanted nothing more than to be close to him now - if not in the passionate way just moments earlier, then just like this.

"I'm sorry," she managed after a while, barely audible to him amidst his own racing thoughts.

"Me too," he said, picking up the spike of salt in the air, as he felt her warm body press against his.

_'Me too,'_ he thought, and turned towards the curled up girl, an arm reaching around her as she shook out the demons which plagued her with sob after heart-wrenching sob.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm sorry too.

Sorry if I made anyone cry, but I really felt like this moment was needed. This is probably my favorite chapter, and I really poured my heart into making it perfect and genuine concerning Sakura's grief. Because obviously, I'm not going to perpetuate the idea that Sakura's a cold-hearted bitch.

I also dearly hope that nobody thinks I made Kisame super OOC or something - I do feel like he's not as much of an impenetrable rock as we may think (and we can see that with his interactions with Itachi in the manga). I'm not a fluff fan at _all_ when it comes to the guy, and if someone thinks I made him really cheesy then I will seriously cry. BUT, don't let that discourage any critical/constructive reviews because as much as I adore reading the super positive, gushing ones, I also love the constructive ones as well! I'll take anything, because it really keeps me going. Anyway, now that I have burst at least _some_ of the sexual tension (and that's not the extent of it btw), I'm going to sleep and will hopefully have the next chapter up soon...ish *dodges bullets*

By the way, let it be known that those reviews which state that you spent hours and hours reading Coercion from start to finish make me feel extremely humbled. I'm floored that something I wrote for fun makes anyone want to spend so much time with it, so thank you. Also this story is nearing an end (I think). I'm envisioning like maybe 4 more long chapters, yeah? Maybe less. IDK. Now adieu my beautiful readers, and until next time~!


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N:** This chapter is dedicated to Luna Silvereyes for her relentless encouragement! Thank you, and enjoy the chapter.

* * *

"Yet another river."

Sandaled feet came to a halt where the gruff voice came from, the figure looking over a stretch of water in the north-western side of Fire Country.

"The scent ends here, Kakashi."

Said man looked down at the small dog by the edge of the riverbank, and sighed.

"So, it's either Grass or Rain Country. Although I have a hunch it may be the latter."

The dog sat down, taking a much-needed break after some long hours of pursuit.

"Why would she be in Rain?"

Kakashi squinted his eyes, scanning the tree line ahead of him for any clues.

"She's been there before."

"Well either way, these rivers are bad enough at throwing me off Sakura's trail let alone a country where it constantly pours."

"I know Pakkun, but we have to try."

The pug scratched his hindquarters, readying himself for yet another bout of travel.

The silver-haired jonin wasted no more time as he made his way across the water, Pakkun already running few meters ahead.

.-.-.

Warmth.

It was the first sensation she felt, as the haze of slumber slowly cleared from her mind. She imagined the light from her bedroom window bathing everything in her apartment in a soft yellow.

_'Maybe I'll visit Ino... buy fresh flowers...'_ she mused, still tethered within the grasps of sleep.

But she was perfectly content to stay here, unable to detach herself from the fluffy pillow under her cheek, the sunlight on her skin, and that delightful warmth pressed against her back.

Sakura cracked open an eye, the yellow walls she imagined from back home not matching the white her gaze was met with.

_'But, Ino doesn't work at the flower shop anymore... this is not my apartment...'_

And she was not in Konoha.

The girl shifted slightly, the confusion from her eyes quickly giving way to alarm as she realized that the warm presence behind her was in fact _breathing_, and slowly she looked down noticing a bare, blue-gray arm nestled under her breasts.

Her _bra-clad_ breasts.

Sakura's heart sped up, realizing whose arms she currently occupied. Whose _bed_.

_'Ah.'_

Snippets of the previous night quickly permeated her memory, as she tried to recollect just _what_ exactly had transpired between her and Kisame. Trying not to move, she pieced together what she could, and remembered the anguish she had felt - the very reason she had come here in the first place. She was going to spend the night, but couldn't sleep, then she had tried to drink, and Kisame woke up and stopped her, and _then_...

Her eyes widened and a hand moved towards her lips as she remembered how fiercely he had kissed her. Sakura's heart beat loudly at the memory, as her mind raced to search more in detail.

_'Did... did we..?'_ she thought, and then felt that weight against her ribs shift as she froze.

She waited a few seconds, but Kisame made no move to indicate that he was awake, and Sakura tried to still her heart lest it give her away. Yes, he _had_ kissed her, and she felt something deep within her twist and ebb as she remembered how she kissed him back - and most importantly how damned _good_ it felt. It didn't help that she was beginning to feel acutely aware of how close he held her now, his legs tangled with hers under the sheets, his arm anchoring her to him.

Sakura's instincts begged her to turn around and look upon his face, because at this point it still felt surreal. But her eyes were gummy and the skin around them swollen, as she remembered the way she had broken down completely in the arms of this very man.

And at that realization, her heart sunk a little. Now, she found herself surprised that he hadn't left - that he had stayed all throughout the night while she bared herself to him so completely.

_'Kisame...'_

She gazed down longingly at his arm, so tightly pressed against her, as she felt the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest at her back.

Yes, the man had stayed - stayed with her during her worst - and despite her conflicted thoughts, it was difficult to feel completely guilty and apologetic for it. The fact was, for the first time since leaving Konoha, she was able to get some sleep, and acquire some semblance of peace. For some reason she couldn't help but feel light and oddly content, in spite of her state of mind just hours before.

Sakura smiled, tracing the scar around his wrist ever-so lightly, before regrettably peeling herself out of his warmth. Quietly, she padded towards the bathroom and splashed water on her face, scrubbing the last of the night's sadness away. She watched the water flow down the drain, and thought of Sasuke again, finding that his name didn't cause her chest to constrict anymore.

_'Sasuke,'_ she said more firmly, realizing that the name still bore sadness, but didn't threaten to crush her any longer.

With a deep breath, she walked back towards Kisame's room, pausing in the doorway for a moment, taking in his sleeping form. He was clad in a plain gray t-shirt and short pants, further suggesting that the passionate kiss didn't escalate to something else. She stood there and wondered if he knew what he had given her.

Sakura walked back to the bed and lied down next to him, allowing herself to enjoy this new lightness she felt.

Kisame shifted after a moment, and mumbled something groggily as he also came to. He glanced to the side, and felt his breath catch at the unexpected sight. She lay there fingers neatly linked across her ribcage, hair splayed out against his pillow, and the grief completely gone from her face. He watched her for a moment longer, then turned on his side towards her.

"Hey," he said, his tone soft with the remnants of slumber. Sakura's eyes were closed, but she was anything but asleep.

"Hey," she responded, taking a few seconds to enjoy the sound of Kisame's voice as it reverberated in her head.

She opened her eyes, almost scared to meet his gaze, then finally turned towards him.

His hand propped his head up as he looked down at her, and Sakura felt her heart begin its frantic beating as the corner of his lip twitched upwards momentarily.

She blushed a little, and felt her own smile manifest without any instruction.

"Welcome back," he said, immensely relieved by her small reaction.

Whatever fears he had as he held her crying form the night before, quickly skittered away into dark corners as he took in the girl in his bed. He allowed his eyes to trail over that pretty flush of pink against her cheeks, then down the smooth expanse of neck before settling on the very unavoidable - and quite fetching - tops of her breasts, still cupped in her black bra.

The fact that she made no move to hide herself stilled the trickle of fear at the base of his spine that had taken residence there the night before, threatening to manifest into something worse.

Her eyes flickered back to meet his then, and he let himself linger in their depths.

She let out a breath she didn't know she held, and her eyes softened as she looked up at him.

She didn't need to say anything, because her gaze spoke volumes. The immense gratitude there was enough to dispel the last of his doubts as he felt that pull again, longing to taste her lips once more. Instead, he reigned himself in, and brought his free hand around to catch a lock of her hair, bringing it towards his nose.

Sakura then chuckled, bringing him out of his actions.

"What?" he asked.

"I think... next time, I'll have to bring you a bottle of my shampoo, since you like the smell so much apparently."

He smirked, and let the lock of pink hair fall back to its resting place against the pillow.

"Is that so," he drawled out, stretching his arms behind his head as he settled on his back, "Sounds good to me. Maybe then I won't need to keep you around anymore."

Sakura laughed, imagining Kisame cooped up in his apartment sniffing _Ocean Mist_ shampoo like some sort of junkie.

"Yeah?" she said, turning on her side to face him, "Don't think you'll be rid of me that easy."

And she knew it too, as his words from the night before echoed in her mind.

"Mm," he said, closing his eyes and allowing himself to breathe in her scent.

Amidst his thoughts of the kunoichi, he took a moment to think of how strange this was - to wake up next to a woman, and not have to watch her hurriedly gather her clothing and leave. It was stranger still, to be so encompassed by Sakura's presence, and see her so openly comfortable in his bed as if it had never been any different. As if she belonged there.

And if only she knew how deeply he wanted to sense her desire for him again - the thick, dark notes amidst her usual sweetness. He closed his eyes and let himself think back. Would he ever experience it again? Or was that something he would have to recall from the depths of his memory, time and time again until there was nothing left?

A soft touch against his bicep broke him out of his thoughts.

He peered down at the girl as she traced the grooves on his arm, and he tried immensely hard not to react too openly in response, lest his actions take him too far for the second time.

But _oh_, how nice it felt.

"Kisame..." she began, almost unsure of the words as she continued to touch him.

He felt her inch closer to him - felt the fabric of her bra, her skin, against his arm. He swallowed, _hard_.

Her hand was on his chest now, and he felt the ends of her hair brush against his neck as he struggled to maintain his breathing.

Sakura hovered over him, eyes tracing over his lips as she too recalled the heated moments from before.

_'My first kiss,'_ she thought, gazing longingly at Kisame's smooth skin, wondering if she should tell him that - if she should bring it up _at all_, for that matter. Did he even remember?

Did he remember it like _she_ did?

"Last night," she began, the words almost cracking, as she struggled to find the rest of them.

_'Yes, let's talk about last night, Sakura. You were a mess, Kisame came and rescued you from what was going to be a very poor, very reckless decision, then he kissed you. Then, we were... um, and then... well,' _she thought, warring with her thoughts,_ 'then he was going to leave.'_

She sighed.

_'And of course, he stayed, because you needed him to. He did what you needed - and it's done now,'_ she thought, then with great regret, pulled away and settled back down next to him.

Except Kisame was waiting. She didn't finish the rest of her sentence, and her hands on his skin trailed away, leaving yet another unfinished clause.

"Last night," Kisame said, re-opening his eyes after realizing she had moved away, "Last night was my fault. I shouldn't ha-"

"Don't Kisame."

He looked at her, trying to place the expression on her face.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing. You didn't deserve to see me like that."

He struggled to find words, but she beat him to it.

"But still... I don't regret it," she said, "I don't regret _any_ of it."

He felt that knot within him constrict almost impossibly tight, and allowed himself to think that perhaps he had done something right. That perhaps her desire for him had been real.

And if it _was_ real, then...

"And..." Sakura added after a moment, "I don't want you to regret it either."

The maturity in her words betrayed the flush which crept back on her face, and he felt himself drawn to her once again.

_'So unable to hide the truth,'_ he thought, wondering how she could get flustered at that, yet be lying so openly in his bed, nearly topless, at that. Briefly, he considered if she had ever experienced a man's touch before him, and it brought forth a strange possessive swell within him. He cleared his throat.

"Alright then, kunoichi," he said, taking her tightly fisted hand in his, unfurling her fingers, "I won't regret it either."

Sakura let out a shaky breath, melting into his words and his touch. Desperately, she wanted to feel him all around her again, but she knew the moment was suspended now somewhere else, waiting, _perhaps_, to be picked up and continued where it had abruptly ended.

But she knew it was not now, not when her wounds were still open, regardless of how diminished.

And she knew that Kisame knew it also, because even in his touch, she felt his restraint, his hesitation. She watched lazily as he smoothed his thumb over her bruised knuckles. She squeezed his hand in reassurance, and watched as he sat up, stretching his arms back and above his head.

_'Thank you,'_ she thought, hoping to find the right way to say it to him, but found none.

Somehow though, she knew he understood.

The sound of cracking joints brought her out of the moment as she watched Kisame trying to ease the kinks out of his neck.

"Hey! Don't do that, it's bad for you."

"What?"

"Your spine is sensitive, cracking it like that could cause a stroke you know," she said, sitting up as well.

"Yeah? Shit, good thing I've got you to tell me that now, after you know, a_ lifetime_ of morning spine-cracking."

Sakura rolled her eyes as the man smirked at her, and rewarded her with yet another alarmingly loud crack.

She slapped his arm.

"Turn around you overgrown shark, geez."

He scoffed, then promptly sat on the edge of the bed, awkwardly lifting his shirt up over his head as her hands quickly found their way to his trapezius muscles. The soothing hum of her chakra followed soon after as he felt himself sag from the relaxing effect.

"How's that?"

The flow of chakra slowed as she massaged him, weaving her way across his shoulders then down the cleft of his spine, as he found difficulty concentrating.

"Mm, nice."

Sakura's rhythmic kneading stopped abruptly.

"_Nice_. You always say that."

"Well because it's true."

Sakura shook her head lightly before continuing.

"Something a little more descriptive wouldn't hurt, you know. Tell me how it feels."

"It feels... not shitty?"

"Okay smartass, you know what? I'm not even gonna get mad at that little remark. I'm going to take it as improvement of your expanding vocabulary."

She felt the rumble of his laughter through his skin as she continued kneading his scarred skin.

Kisame cocked his head to the side, deciding to humor her request as he closed his eyes and focused only on the girl's touch. He let out a low hmm, the ebb and flow of soothing relief difficult to think through.

"Soft..." he said, fully absorbed by not only Sakura's touch, but her scent now, her breaths, her heartbeat, the way her knees touched against the small of his back.

"Warm," he said after, listening to the increased pace of her heart beat now, "Soothing..."

He felt the confident motions in her hands waver, and he wondered if it was because she imagined the same thing he was. He thought of the kiss once more, of her legs wrapped around his waist, her hands fluttering along his body, weaving in his hair, exploring, clutching him in desperate need.

"What else?" he heard her whisper, the breath against his ear sending another shiver down his spine.

"It feels..."

Kisame felt her hot breath against his neck, her hands no longer touching him with clinical purpose. Her scent was laced with the stronger notes of the night before, and he turned around, unable to deny the magnetic pull.

She looked up at him, her hand against her lips as she gazed with a nearly frightened longing into his own darkened irises.

His hand snaked around her waist as he loomed over her, slowly inching her back down against the mattress. Their noses nearly touched as they took one another in, so close.

Kisame's free hand smoothed against her lips, his thumb travelling where his lips wanted to. He took a moment to observe her like this, relishing the sight before he spoke.

"I've been with many women who didn't want me," he said, watching the confusion etch on her face.

"I don't want you to be one of them."

"Kisame..."

"Things between us are different now, kunoichi. You can't even work some kinks out of my back like you used to."

Sakura blushed at that, but fixed her gaze on his fiercely.

"Well you don't have to make it seem like I'm some wanton _whore_."

Sakura tried to push herself away from him, but he stopped her.

"No, you're clearly too inexperienced."

"Oh _fuck off_," she said and forced herself away from him.

She angrily strode towards the door, looking for her shirt so she could leave.

"Hey, hey, hey - _stop_."

"What?" she shouted, spinning on her foot as she turned towards him.

He just sighed and plopped back down on the bed, defeated.

"I don't even know kunoichi. This is all new for me too, shit."

Sakura crossed her arms against her chest, her anger dissipating in favor of sympathy.

He ran a hand through his messy hair in frustration with everything.

"I know," she said.

He glanced at something poking out from the sheets beneath him, and pulled out Sakura's shirt. He absently thumbed the fabric as he spoke.

"I've placed my loyalty in too many of the wrong things. Made too many bad decisions."

"You're right. And I don't want to ruin everything just because I need a distraction from Sasuke."

Kisame looked out the window, taken aback at the words. _A distraction_. Was that all he was? So, his intuition hadn't failed him on that account, but he hadn't expected her to admit it so unabashedly.

Sakura noticed, and winced at how the words came out. She wouldn't belittle this man now, not after how much he had given her.

"Remember back in Tea, when you told me about that girl?" she asked.

Kisame thought back and recalled the incident clearly, and found it odd that he hadn't had any thoughts of Kaori since the day he told Sakura about her. He did however, find it odd that she would bring it up now of all times.

"What of it?" he said, trying not to sound as frustrated as he felt.

"I told you... I am not _her_."

Kisame turned towards her, the meaning of the girl's words resonating within him. He realized quickly back then his foolishness in comparing his old teammate to this girl. They were nothing alike after all. And...

He rose, walking over to the still standing girl, and handed her the wrinkled shirt.

"And I'm not Sasuke," he said.

She smiled, and slipped the flimsy shirt over her head.

"No Kisame you're not. And yes, things are different now between us, and everything else. But what _hasn't_ changed is that I care about you, and I want you in my life."

"Good," he said simply, glad to have _that_ at least; It could have ended up much, much worse after all. He really did fear the morning would be a lot more angst and anger-filled. Needless to say, this was a welcome surprise.

"Let's go eat," he said, hoping to change the topic regardless.

"Yeah I'm starving," she replied, glad that he still wanted to do their usual mundane things in spite of it all.

The man washed up quickly, pulling himself into some semblance of order - physically, anyway - before rejoining the girl.

"Thank god I have the day off from work today," Sakura said, "the last thing I need is-".

"Oh _shit_."

Sakura turned and looked at the man whose hand was planted to half his face.

"What?"

"I... have to be somewhere," he said, glancing at the clock in the living room, "and in half an hour apparently."

Sakura looked taken aback, suddenly getting the feeling that he was avoiding her.

"Oh."

Kisame ran a hand through his messy hair, looking apologetically at the girl.

"I never told you... I'm kind of teaching basic Kendo to the combat squads."

Sakura raised a brow, unsure of whether or not the man was serious. Swordsmanship? She recalled her training back in Tea, and how annoyed he'd get at just teaching her - not to mention how much he hated the sensei title, joking or not. But this? She couldn't picture him training an entire group of shinobi. She wondered if he argued and bickered with his current disciples, then realized he was actually only ever like that with her.

Which was again, utterly baffling.

"Kendo, huh," she said.

Sure she was disappointed that they wouldn't get to spend some more time together - being _normal_, that is - but she couldn't forget that war was still looming on the horizon.

At that reminder, Sakura straightened, realizing the recent events were nothing compared to what was in store for them.

It was so easy to forget though, she thought, giving him a subtle once-over, trying hard not to think of... well _everything_.

"Yeah," he finally said, digging some garments out from his closet and stuffing them into a bag, "We can meet later if you want."

He didn't hear a response, and peered out from behind the closet door.

"Are you... are you okay?"

"What? Yeah," she said hastily, realizing she was standing dumbly in the doorway, "Of course Kisame, you go do your thing."

_Not like that_, he thought. Kisame looked at the ground, trying to figure out how to word himself. He needed to at least know she was okay when it came to Sasuke, and everything else. She seemed to be, but he knew now that nothing compared to verbal confirmation. But before he had a chance to ask more concisely, she interrupted him.

"Anyway, I won't keep you. I have a couple things I need to take care of too," she said with a small smile.

Kisame observed her carefully, but she turned heading for the door. He packed the rest of his training gear and followed suit.

As they slipped on their shoes in silence, Kisame wondered if Sakura's mind was as scrambled as his was still. He found it incredibly hard to resist physical contact - however minute - with the girl. Would this feeling haunt him forever? Never allowing him any semblance of normality around her again? He watched her teeter slightly as she balanced on one leg, trying to slip on her boot. His hand reached out for her shoulder, but he withdrew it quickly as she straightened.

"Ready?" he asked, hoping that words could drown out his thoughts.

She shouldered her backpack and gave a nod before they headed out into the rainless morning.

.-.-.

"Was that better?"

A dark-haired youth stood legs apart, short sword thrust out before him, the group of shinobi surrounding him in various stages of practicing their swinging techniques. The young man's head was cocked to the side, expression hopeful as he looked to the tall figure standing before them.

"Hoshigaki-sensei?"

He would have been the perfect image of a seasoned, disciplined swordsman, clad in a traditional black yukata, the sash at his waist sagging down from the weight of the katana at his hip, a second blade in his hand. But despite his appearance, Kisame's mind was elsewhere.

"_Hoshigaki-sensei?_"

"Hm?"

He blinked, shifting where he stood as he nodded at the young man whose name he suddenly couldn't place.

That and he couldn't really even recall what he had asked, since the kid looked at him so expectantly.

Right, probably something about the technique.

"Your knees are too stiff," Kisame said, giving him a once-over, "and you're gripping the handle too low. Bring your hand closer to the fuchi."

The man promptly looked down and bent his legs, sliding his hand up towards the collar of the katana, his knuckles white from the ferocity of his grip.

"Like this?"

Kisame rubbed his temple in irritation as he looked upon the sorry sight.

"No, I didn't say- _tsk_, you know what? Just go do a few stretches, we'll resume tomorrow."

With that Kisame let out a sharp whistle, gaining the immediate attention of the dozen or so shinobi in the small dojo.

"You're dismissed for today, practice your katas and I'll see you all tomorrow."

The group of ninja gave a collective bow in respect, leaving Kisame feeling oddly out of place. It seemed even after three sessions, he could not become accustomed to his role, and the subsequent admiration it garnered. The setting - even what he wore - just reminded him of his old sensei at the orphanage in Mist, even if the differences were vast. Still, he bowed back, as the room soon filled with murmured voices and the clinks and slides of metal as they retired their blades for the day. He waited for the last pair of feet to pad out the screen door before he allowed himself to slump against the wall. Kisame breathed in deep, taking in the scents of wood, steel and sweat as he tried to clear his mind from the thoughts which plagued him since he woke up.

Despite their attempts to clear the air that morning, Sakura continued selfishly occupying the space in his mind, never allowing him to drift to other subjects for too long. But of course, inwardly, he knew he was entirely responsible for that state of affairs anyway.

He shook his head and turned around so he faced the wall, unsheathing the katana at his hip as he replaced it on the notched weapon rack in front of him. He took a moment to admire the sleek beauty of the sword, eyes following the long, soft curve from the hilt to the tip before he stopped himself, realizing his thoughts immediately went elsewhere in the process.

Honestly, it was a wonder he had managed to teach at _all_ today.

He had never imagined himself as an instructor, but the thought struck him at random after a visit to the local training grounds revealed the rainy city's ninja to be rather lacking in the sword-fighting department. They all carried the weapons, yet it seemed none were too adept at using them. Of course, later, he would teach them the value of imbuing chakra into their blades, but that was still a ways off, he noted. Ever since his return to Amegakure with Sakura, he had wanted something substantial to occupy his time with, especially since she had wanted her distance, so he offered his services if only for a short time. What he didn't expect, was that he actually found himself _enjoying_ it, today being an exception of course due to the unforeseen circumstances.

_'Unforseen circumstances of nearly sleeping with one very damaged, emotionally distraught kunoichi,'_ he thought bitterly, angry that it had happened like that at all.

But his mind of course was traitorous and cared little for the circumstances, and more about the visceral sensations of her in his arms, the taste of her skin...

The little gasps she made as he kissed her...

Kisame opened his eyes, realizing he was gripping the scabbard a little too hard and he pulled away as if burned.

"Hoshigaki-san."

Kisame pivoted on his heel at the voice.

"Ah, Jun."

A man clad in Amegakure's steel-blue garb stood at the entrance way, arms crossed at his chest. As the head general of the city's armed guard, Kisame found it admirable that the man never carried himself with pomp or arrogance despite his title. It was one of the growing qualities Kisame respected in the man, having met too many a high-ranking shinobi who acted otherwise.

"If you came to check up on your men, I just let them go," Kisame said.

The man remained at the doorway and nodded curtly.

"How are they holding up against a legendary swordsman's training?"

Kisame chuckled at that, finding himself feeling slightly guilty for his lack of any actual teaching today. He absently adjusted the belt around his yukata as he tried to order his thoughts.

"They're doing as well as expected. It's only been a few sessions anyway."

Jun looked serious for a moment and finally entered the dojo, hands behind his back as he strode slowly yet purposely towards Kisame.

"Hoshigaki-san-"

"Kisame is fine," the shark-man interjected.

"Kisame then - I'm worried for them. As their general... perhaps it is undignified of me, but I fear I will lose my shinobi."

Kisame crossed his arms against his chest as he considered his words.

"I've sent out two squadrons last month, and they have yet to send word or return. My army is dwindling, and even with the extra training..."

"I know," Kisame said bluntly, knowing full-well Jun's concerns.

"If this Madara were to come here now, in his current state, I have no doubts we could defend ourselves, but..."

"The bijuu," Kisame finished.

The man breathed in deep and sighed.

"We are alone, Kisame. Just yesterday, the messenger Konan sent to Kumogakure came back empty-handed. Nobody will ally with us because of our weak history and small size. I fear Rain will be the first to be destroyed should Madara gain his full power."

Jun stared to the side, looking bereft and defeated. Kisame felt sympathetic if not slightly off-put by the man's solemn admission.

"There's still a chance that he won't get his hands on the last two tailed-beasts. It's not hopeless yet," Kisame said.

In an instant, the man snapped out of his zoned-out state and nodded at Kisame, his usual well-meaning smile back on his face.

"Ah, yes of course. Forgive me; I don't know why I'm burdening you with all of this. You're right, there is hope."

Kisame observed him, realizing how much he resembled Itachi with his dark eyes and long, albeit reddish hair tied in a neat ponytail. With that, the man gave a curt nod and made his way back out the door, and Kisame felt a touch of pity for him.

What Jun said was undeniably true, but at this point, Kisame wasn't entirely sure what to do about it. It was all one big waiting game, and there was nothing he wanted to do more than to jump into battle already and get his sword wet with Madara's blood.

At that thought, Kisame walked over to the far end of the large room and picked up Samehada, giving it a few swings as he relished the feel of his own sword after using the loaned one all day. He then proceeded to the shower room, disrobing from his yukata to the usual slacks and t-shirt, skipping showering since he barely even swung his katana decently.

At that thought, he remembered _why_, and like clockwork, his mind went back to that morning.

He groaned, realizing this wasn't about to clear up on its own. It seemed he and Sakura really did need to talk further about the state of affairs between them, because at this rate he would lose his mind.

Yes, he would go find her and they would sort this out once and for all.

.-.-.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Sakura sat with her head propped under one hand as she rhythmically tapped the back of her pen against the journal in her lap.

Tap.

She looked at the last sentence she wrote, the words losing their meaning as she read them over and over. Frustrated she drew a line across the string of words, before scribbling it out altogether.

_I'm sorry Naruto_.

The words were still legible, still visible despite her efforts to conceal them, and she sighed, beginning anew.

_I'm sorry that it had to end like that._

Again, she drew the black ink across the words, unable to bring to writing what her heart felt.

The fact was, she was no longer sorry. And that was something which although initially alarming, was setting in solidly, and becoming less and less harrowing to admit.

She re-read the rest of the letter, filled with vague details of the past year's events, but could not find the words to tie it all up in the end. After a moment, she brought the pen back down onto the paper.

_'I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you grieve.'_

She felt a sting in her eyes as she penned the last word, the finality striking a chord.

Sakura bit the tears back, scrawling down the final few sentences, sincere and hopeful in her thoughts that they would soon meet again, and in better circumstances.

With a deep breath, she signed her name and leaned back against the couch in her loaned apartment, reading over the scribbled rough draft one final time before she rewrote it on a scroll. Her heart was heavy still, but there were fewer things which weighed it down now, and she found it almost cathartic to do this - to have something she could give her friend in her absence.

Of course, she knew it would be another thing altogether to get it to him. After all, nobody knew where she was, and Naruto especially had to be kept in the dark; she was still under Madara's grasp despite it all. Regardless, the kunoichi rolled the parchment up, and rose from her seat, hoping against hope she could find a way to send it.

And now that this weight had lifted from her shoulders, she could go see the man who aided in giving her the strength to do so.

She rose and made her way out and towards the main headquarters.

.-.-.

Kisame stepped away from the door he fruitlessly knocked on, realizing finally that Sakura wasn't at her place. He remembered her comment earlier about not having work, but he decided to head to the medical ward just in case she went anyway. That cursed voice at the back of his mind caused his steps to slow, reminding him that she _could_ in fact be in her apartment, and actively avoiding him. Maybe she really did get angry earlier? Perhaps that morning, the prior night's events hadn't quite sunk in and that's why she didn't push him away immediately?

He tried to quash the thoughts, only to have them replaced by that other voice, the one which suggested that Sakura's whereabouts were known by one very dangerous Uchiha, and that she was in danger.

Kisame didn't realize he had picked up speed, until he nearly crashed into an oncoming ninja.

"Oof! Slow down there Hoshigaki-san," the man said, taking a moment to catch his breath.

Kisame looked down at the young man, recognizing him as one of the usual messenger nin.

"Urgent news. Leader-sama asked me to find you."

Kisame froze, that horrid dread rising tenfold.

"Where's Sakura? Is she alright?"

The young man, _Shogo_, he remembered, seemed confused.

"Uh, yeah? Why wouldn't she be?"

Kisame clicked his tongue in irritation, either at his own paranoia or the kid's vague and unsatisfying answer, he wasn't sure.

Either way he quickly changed direction towards the center of the metropolis, arriving there sooner than usual. He cursed the high-rise building, as he waited for the elevator to reach the top, and he nearly burst into the main doors, only to be met by Konan's surprised golden gaze.

...and Sakura's pink head of hair as she turned from where she stood at the leaderwoman's desk.

"Kisame," Konan said, intoning a question.

He stood there, trying not to look dumbfounded as he cleared his throat, nodding his head towards her, suddenly noticing Jun's form there and two others as well.

Kisame didn't feel like explaining himself, quickly taking a seat and avoiding Sakura's questioning gaze.

"I was just apologizing to Sakura for having to bother her on her day off. It seems like there's no time for such luxuries during war," the woman said, dismissing the other two shinobi as she sat behind her desk.

Sakura sat as well, placing the scroll she held into her backpack, still disappointed at the fact that there was no way to get her letter to Naruto without her whereabouts being figured out. It was a let-down, but one which wasn't fully unexpected, and she tried not to think about it further, as there was clearly a more pressing matter to attend to. The tension in the room was high as everyone was on edge and waiting for whatever dire news there was to report now.

"A scouting team just came back with news of activity in Yugakure. The daimyo of Hot Springs country has been assassinated, as well as the village completely eradicated."

Sakura gasped, "But how?"

Konan turned her gaze towards the pink-haired medic.

"Madara has an army. Our worst fears have been realized. It's no longer one man against the world. The scouts report seeing masses of what appeared to be Zetsu killing off villagers en masse. But instead of the split black-white Zetsu, this one was all white."

Jun shifted as he stood, clearly distraught despite his best attempts to remain stoic.

"He _cloned_ Zetsu?" Kisame spoke.

"I don't know. This is very unexpected. Whatever Madara's intentions, it is clear that if he can do that to Yugakure, this very city is in danger as well."

Konan was visibly distressed, and Sakura's heart clenched in sympathy for the woman. She had lost so much, and seeing the way the woman looked out the window now, gazing down at the people in the streets leisurely enjoying their day, she felt the need to help her.

"Zetsu... he was captured here before my arrival right?" Sakura asked.

Konan turned towards her and nodded.

"This might be a long-shot, but I would like to examine his body, if possible."

The three shinobi looked at the pink-haired kunoichi with intrigue.

"I studied herbology in-depth, and since he seems to be a plant-like hybrid I could find something in his cells to give me insight into his biology. If all goes well, I could possibly find a way to counter the clones attack - should they come here."

Jun's eyes widened as he considered the words.

"Of course!" he said, an urgent and enthusiastic undertone to his usual calmness.

Kisame also looked mildly shocked at the proposal, mostly impressed by the idea. He felt a surge of pride within him at the thought that she could do something about this new threat, once again reconsidering her abilities. She gave him a glance and smiled, as if reading his thoughts.

The shark-man then thought of something himself.

"Even if there's a way to defeat the Zetsu, there's still the possibility that Madara might use the bijuu to cause war. I know he was adamant about having them all before he did anything, but his philosophy might change if he's desperate enough."

Kisame paused, recalling his earlier conversation with Jun.

"Amegakure lost its allies because of the Akatsuki," he said, pausing to glance at the other man.

Konan sighed, sagging a bit at the reminder. It was true, nobody trusted a village which was the main headquarters of the presumed leader Pein and his ill-reputed organization. And perhaps talks could have been reopened with Konoha, but if they found out that she housed one of its missing-nin, that would never happen. She glanced up at Sakura, realizing that she would never blame the girl for any of it - especially not after she had proven to be of such help.

Kisame raked a hand through his hair, then spoke up, his tone even and clear.

"I will go to Mist, and ask the Mizukage to forge an alliance."

Everyone was taken aback by the words, and Sakura jumped up from her seat.

"Are you _insane_?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.

"I've thought it through."

"Oh, a whole _twenty seconds_? And I'm the reckless one, alright!"

Konan was at a loss, unsure of how to react to both Kisame's proposal and the little scene between him and the girl. She almost felt like an intruder.

"I will have to agree with Sakura on this one," she said, "I am sorely aware that we need allies, Kisame, but going to Mist is suicide."

"It's not-"

"I will go," Jun said, his voice firm and unrelenting.

"With all due respect," Kisame said, "If the general leaves, it will cause a divide within your men. We can't let them lose morale; they need leadership, especially now."

The man knitted his brow in concern, knowing Kisame's words to be devastatingly true. Yet nobody could argue that Kisame seemed to be the least qualified to go on such a mission.

"Look, if I didn't think this could work, I wouldn't have mentioned it."

Sakura shook her head at him.

"Why not try another village? Why Mist when you're still being hunted by them?"

"I don't trust I'd come back alive if I went anywhere else. Besides," he added, raking a hand through his hair, "I have a few ties left with some of the people I grew up with back then."

Sakura inhaled a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

She wanted to scream. How could he even consider such a thing? Especially _now_, of all times.

Konan seemed pensive for a moment, then took advantage of the small stretch of silence to speak.

"You know I would go, but I cannot abandon my post either. I take it you will refuse any escorts I appoint to you?"

Sakura crossed her legs the other way and tapped her foot rhythmically.

"We're fine on our own," she answered, looking out the window at nothing at all.

Konan was about to say something, but Kisame quickly interjected.

"I'm going alone, kunoichi. You're staying here."

Sakura turned to him, incredulous.

"I need to be alone for this. Besides, you have your work cut out for you with the Zetsu thing, and it'll be too dangerous if you come with me."

He got up, rolling his shoulder before readjusting his sword strap. He watched as Sakura rose as well, her furrowed brow relaxing as she seemed to snap back to normal.

"I'm ready to start with my research then, Konan," she said flatly.

"Oh. Of course," the woman managed after a second, duly noting the tension in the room and hoping to release it in any way possible. Jun took the initiative and stepped forward.

"I will show the medic to the mortuary."

Konan nodded, and without further ado they left.

The indigo-haired woman quietly shuffled some papers on her desk as Kisame stood in place, trying not to think too much about Sakura's cold exit. He considered his options, the things he would say to her later on when they met up, when Konan's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I forgot what that's like."

"Hm?" he said after a moment, turning around to face the woman.

"I forgot what it's like to have someone attempt to convince you to stay," she said, continuing to meticulously flip through the stack of papers on her desk.

Kisame wondered briefly how the leader-woman managed to have so much stuff so neatly organized and arranged all the time, until her words sunk in.

"I don't remember how it feels to be non-expendable," she continued blankly, her mind elsewhere, as her hands busied with the papers.

Kisame wondered about that - wondered how she could say such a thing when the entire city had an unrelenting admiration for her. But he knew now that there was a vast difference between detached admiration and true care for someone's well-being. Yet it was all new territory for him regardless.

"I don't really know how to be anything _other_ than expendable," he added.

Konan smiled a little, glancing over one of the sheets amidst a stack before pulling it out.

"I believe now that one of the fundamental failures of Akatsuki was the lack of emphasis concerning the partnerships. Despite being a group - a unit composed of pairs - we were all primarily concerned with our individual survival. At times, I will admit even my own fault with Pein. I had lost sight of Nagato, of Yahiko within him more than once."

With a small brush in hand, Konan dipped it in ink and began to write on the parchment, her strokes quick and sure.

Kisame didn't know much concerning Konan's relationship towards the man, but from the way she always talked about him, there was always a ghost of regret lacing her words. He decided not to allow that to be his future.

"The Akatsuki was a learning process," he said, "Your partner now is Rain and everyone in it."

Konan paused, looking up at him.

"Y-yes. You're right," she said, the gratitude in her tone not lost on him.

"I plan on leaving tomorrow," he said then, hoping to leave the haunting past behind him, even if it was rather ironic considering the impending trip.

She nodded, continuing her writing. A few minutes later, and she finished, finalizing the document with a stamp.

"You'll need this since you're going on my behalf."

He took the scroll from her and nodded, already heading for the exit.

"I should be back within a week."

"Thank you Kisame. I know you don't need to hear it, but take care of yourself."

He paused for a moment then opened the door, realizing that for the first time he would do just that, if only because this time he had something to lose.

"I will."

.-.-.

The darkness was comfortably settled around Amegakure when he returned to his apartment that night, take-out container in hand as he fumbled with the keys in the other. Before he entered, he tested the air for any sign that Sakura was there, but found nothing; it was futile with the rain anyway. He shook his head lightly then walked in, not finding her scent inside either - not that he entirely expected her to be here, but _still_.

"Just you and me tonight old girl; like old times, eh?" he said, removing Samehada and placing it against the wall.

He took a quick shower, finding himself surprised that he felt no trepidation about the upcoming trip whatsoever.

_'Well, not like I'd be going if I thought I'd get killed on the spot,'_ he thought to himself, towelling off while he walked into his room.

But it wasn't so much the possibility of death that should scare him, but rather everything _else_ which Mist harbored.

Regardless, his past home seemed to be of the least concern presently, because he couldn't find his favorite shirt - the stupidly comfortable one with the wide collar and perfect ratio of stretch and breathability.

With an exasperated sigh, Kisame rummaged around in his small heap of clothing, unable to find anything, until he pivoted around on his foot and saw the familiar black fabric amidst his white bedding. He plucked it from the bunched covers, sitting down on the edge as he took in the sight of his bed. Smoothing his hand over the linen, he closed his eyes and picked up on Sakura's scent, still lingering there along with the memory of her body tangled in the sheets and in his arms.

He took in a shaky breath, distancing himself from the thoughts as if they could harm him. No, the Mist no longer filled him with dread compared to the uncharted things which lied with the pink-haired girl. It was the unknown that people seemed to fear the most after all.

Before he could think further on it, there was the muffled sound of knocking from beyond his bedroom. Jerked out of his pensive state, Kisame hurriedly donned the shirt and some loose slacks before briskly making his way to the front door. His heart beat quicker than normal in hopes it was her behind it.

"Sakura," he said, before the door was even fully open.

She looked annoyed but strode in, ruffling out her damp hair.

He wanted to say something light-hearted - start with a humorous jab at her state of disarray - but came up empty and waited for her to initiate.

"Well?" she said finally, making no move to take off her raincoat.

"Well what?"

"Well are you going to fricking explain yourself or not so much?"

_Okay_, so she was still pissed.

"I thought I explained myself thoroughly?"

"_Oh!_" she said incredulously, throwing her hands in the air.

"If you feel like you need me here in case Madara comes after you, then tell me now."

He watched as she angrily picked at some loose threads on Samehada's bandages, wondering when she overcame her fear of his sword. She shook her head and laughed humorlessly.

"I don't need your protection Kisame. I know I'm safe here."

"I won't be there long. It's the trip there and back which will take the most time, but I only intend to stay in Mist long enough to get-"

She looked up at him, eyes bearing a deep sadness. Kisame swallowed hard, resisting the pull he felt towards her.

"Your timing really fucking sucks."

He blinked at her, trying to process the words.

"...why?"

"_Because_... because of the other night," she said quietly, wishing she didn't have to spell it out.

He watched her cheeks tint pink slightly.

"You think I'm running from _you_?"

Sakura averted her gaze to the ground, suddenly feeling ridiculously conceited for thinking such a thing. The world didn't revolve around her after all.

"I know it's stupid, but you can't blame me for thinking that way."

Kisame laughed, the rich sound warming her heart instantly.

"You can really be an idiot sometimes kunoichi," he said.

"Hey! That wasn't the only concern I had, okay? I had to ask, geez! How am I supposed to know? You're not exactly the most forthcoming person. Hell, I even assumed once that you hated merely _mentioning_ Mist, but _hey_ I guess I was completely wrong about that too."

Kisame's mirth died down as he observed the frustration ebbing from her in waves. He felt guilty for doing this, and in retrospect realized that he probably should have factored her into his decision before he said anything.

"Hey," he said stepping closer, "I know this sucks, but it'll help keep this place safe should anything happen. I don't plan on living somewhere which is open to attack so easily. Besides, you live here too now, temporary or not."

"I know all that, and I don't doubt- it's _just_..."

"I'm coming back Sakura. I'm not done being a pain in your ass just yet."

Sakura smiled and found it incredibly hard not to reach up and touch him again. Instead she looked away from his magnetic gaze, changing the topic.

"Well since I can't stop you..." she said, shrugging off her backpack as she unzipped it and withdrew a file folder.

"What's that?"

"_This_, is a bargaining chip for you in case your beloved countrymen decide not to be hospitable."

Kisame scoffed and grabbed the file, opening it and reading the pages within. After a moment he looked back down at the girl.

"All this from today?"

"Yes well, it's not complete obviously, but I did do a thorough analysis of Zetsu's physiology which - as you just read there - shockingly contains some of Senju Hashirama's DNA. _And_ I only figured that out because I've studied Yamato's cells in the past - something he may or may not be aware of, so don't go telling anyone now. Anyway, I remembered the unusual patterning in the helix, something only those of Hashirama's bloodline have."

He looked thoughtful for a moment as Sakura continued.

"I plan on investigating the _whys_ and _hows_ in the days to come, but that's a start."

"Hashirama..." Kisame drawled, fascinated despite the millions of questions he now had.

"Yeah, so that and a ton of other things I discovered about our creepy friend are in there. Mist might want our intel if anything. And including the things we know about Madara too, I think you really might come out of this alive."

"This is... well, I gotta hand it to you kunoichi, I'm impressed."

"Seriously you should be praising whatever gods are out there that you have my superior research to win Mist over with, because your charming skills would get you killed right at the gate."

Kisame smirked.

"Hmph, lucky for me I know my way around Mei Terumi."

Sakura raised an eyebrow.

He just grinned smugly and turned, placing the folder on the coffee table with his other things.

_Mei_? Sakura tried to recall all the things she'd heard in the past concerning Mist's current leader, then remembered the four-page feature on the woman in the little book she bought back in Konoha. Yes, Mei _freaking_ Terumi, the ridiculously gorgeous and physically gifted woman. Amidst the various accolades outlining her abilities, Sakura couldn't help but also recall that glaring '_unmarried_' word typed somewhere amidst her biography.

Ugh.

_'Wow Sakura, this is not happening. You are not getting jealous over some woman probably twice your age - gorgeous and single notwithstanding. And it's Kisame, for god's sake. She wouldn't... they don't have a... history...right?'_

Sakura stopped her mental thought-train before it got any crazier. She did not do jealous. No.

Trying to brush off the sudden self-consciousness that came over her, Sakura cleared her throat.

"Anyway, knowing you, you're probably leaving tonight or something, so I won't keep you. Just thought I'd come by and give you that I guess. Oh! And this-"

She yanked out another parcel from within her oversized backpack.

Kisame turned around from his position at the stove, trying to make out what was in the rectangular box she held.

"Some soldier pills for the road."

Sakura placed the box on the table as well and backed away towards the door. He looked at her for a moment, then the things on the table, wondering how her anger about his little mission had even allowed her to still think of his well-being like this. It was her day off, and she spent it on making sure he would be okay. Kisame didn't know what to say.

"Right, so I'll leave you to it then," she said, making ready to leave.

"Really? All that and not even a goodbye?"

Sakura pocketed her hands in her coat and smirked, "That'll cost you extra."

He turned back around, setting a pot of water to boil.

"Then I hope you accept payment in a humble cup of tea."

Sakura laughed.

_'Oh, what the hell,'_ she thought removing her coat and striding over to the couch.

Despite her feelings concerning his imminent departure, she was at least glad they had these small pockets of normalcy to hang on to.

"Make mine a small one, I gotta be up early tomorrow."

She heard him mumble something then turned around, propping her chin on the top of the couch as she watched him. She wondered if bringing up their passion-filled night was a good idea, but decided not to make things awkward right before he left.

_'When he comes back,'_ she thought, desperately hoping it would go smoothly.

"So..." she started, "you must be feeling pretty weird going back home after all this time."

"I guess," he said, grabbing a small jar from the cupboard.

She let her eyes linger on the lines of his back for a moment longer, debating whether or not she should change the subject; he still seemed reserved about the topic. Instead...

"Hey, remember way back when, when we escaped Suna and camped out in that forest?"

He paused, almost forgetting just how long he had actually known this girl for. In fact, it almost seemed strange that he _didn't_ know her at some point. He smirked.

"You mean when _I_ escaped Suna, with you in tow. Complaining, sunburnt and lost, no less."

"Hey, you wouldn't have gone anywhere without my chakra. Just remember that.

"Yeah, yeah. Why do you bring it up?"

"Well," she said, "You gave me something before I left."

He turned his head to the side, listening.

"My ring?"

"Mhm," Sakura said, running her hand along her right thigh, to the small pouch where it hid. She took it out, having tied it to a small strap.

Kisame looked at her as she observed it.

"Why'd you keep it?"

"At first, I dunno. Then after a while, I realized that I kept it because it reminded me of you, of all the time we spent together. And now, well, I like to think it may be a bit of a luck charm considering how many times I've escaped death," she said with a smile.

"A luck charm," he repeated, shaking his head.

"Well you might think it's dumb, but keeping the ring on me makes me happy," she said, pocketing the dangling object back into her pouch and walking over to the man.

"So I thought..."

Kisame turned to face her, as she took something else out of her pocket, then held up a small charm of a jade carp.

He looked puzzled, and took it for closer inspection. It was intricately carved even if the pale green stone looked worn at the edges. The carp's mouth was open, a red braided strap coming from it, adorned with a few small beads. He looked back down at Sakura.

"What's this supposed to do? Remind me that I'm part fish?"

Sakura laughed a little too hard at that, almost knocking the pot of boiling water from the stovetop.

"Oh my god, I didn't even _think_ of that!"

He looked at the laughing girl with a quirked brow.

"_You?_ Missing an opportunity to ridicule me with your crappy fish jokes?"

"I have to step up my game apparently," Sakura giggled, wiping a tear from her eye as her laughter died down.

"But seriously, I've had that for a while. I bought it back when I first started training as a medic. Believe it or not, the first thing I ever successfully healed was a fish. I bought that to remind me of my beginnings."

He chuckled a little at that, finding it oddly endearing.

"Well, I guess I'm lucky to have such a powerful fish-healer like you in my life."

Sakura punched him in the arm lightly, "Hey, if you think it's stupid, I'll be happy to take it back."

He closed his fingers around small charm, and ruffled her hair.

"No, I think I'll keep it."

"You're_ welcome_," she said poking her tongue out at him.

Kisame pocketed it and grinned, turning off the stove as the water came to a boil.

"You know what I find weird about you? You never really thank me, or apologize or anything. Yet, you're so frickin' polite with everyone else. What's the deal?"

He poured the water into cups, handing one to her as both of them leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Formalities are for people you don't know. I figure... by now you know that I- well, appreciate the things you do without me having to say it."

Sakura felt taken aback by that, feeling a warmth swell within her, echoing the heat from the ceramic cup in her hand. She never really thought about it like that.

"I guess you have a point..." she said, mesmerized by the steam billowing out of the cup in haphazard patterns.

"But why the hell _are_ you so polite anyway? I've always wondered about that," she asked.

"Because I'm unpredictable like that."

"Hah! A guy named Ki_same_, with gills, sharp teeth, a shark-skin sword and hair shaped into a fin thinks he's being unpredictable. Right."

He turned to her, crossing one leg over the other.

"Really? Do you really wanna go there miss _Sakura_, with hair the color of... oh shit - _cherry blossoms_?"

"Oh please, you win the predictability contest by a long-shot."

He snorted.

"Your favorite color is blue, isn't it?" she asked with a smug grin.

"And yours is pink, right?" he shot back.

"I'll have you know, that _no_, pink is _not_ my favorite color," she said with a defiant sniff.

"Well mine's not blue either."

"Good," she added.

"Yeah, _good_."

Sakura took a cautionary sip of the tea, deeming it too hot still.

"I like green," she said with an air of self-importance.

To her surprise, Kisame burst out laughing. And not in his usual sardonic way.

"Yeah _ha-ha_, cherry blossoms are a plant, and plants are green, and I also study herbology, blah, blah. Laugh it up, you win."

"Mine's green too," he said.

The girl was taken aback, unsure why it struck her so much. _Green_. She didn't understand why it made her feel so damn happy all of a sudden, but she welcomed the sensation. Perhaps it was because they finally had something personal in common, but also, she decided she _liked_ knowing the little things. She liked how it added yet another layer to his character - to that which she had grown to care for so much. And the more they knew about one another, the more they could clear away the hurdles which got in the way - the awkward silences, the hidden secrets, the fears, the shame, the past - and work towards something more, something bigger and more substantial.

Both ninja were lost in their thoughts, silent as they stood waiting for their tea to cool. He wanted to find something poignant to say before they parted ways, but he didn't quite know what. The longer the silence dragged on, the more he wanted to bring up the other night and that unforgettable kiss. He didn't want to go, only to come back and still have unresolved issues concerning the nature of their relationship.

"Sakura-" he began, only to be interrupted by his name on her lips.

They both shut up, waiting for the other to speak. He decided he was through beating around the bush.

"When I come back, I want to know that things won't be different between us."

Sakura looked up at him, thumb rubbing against the hot lip of the cup. So, he was bringing it up after all.

"What I mean is, different than it is now."

"I don't know what to tell you Kisame, I'm not exactly sure what to make of us _now_ anyway. I just know that I like _this_. I like just being able to talk without all that horrible tension. Like how it used to be before... well before the thing with Sasuke."

He felt taken aback at that, feeling a small pained jab in his chest. So, she preferred what they had _before_ - before things got taken to _that_ level. He nodded, hoping his expression wouldn't give anything away. In the morning, she had told him she didn't regret anything that happened, but perhaps having a day to clear the mind helped her set it straight.

"Good," he lied, taking a sip of the too-hot beverage.

Sakura brushed it off, not even entirely sure she knew anymore. The only thing she did know, was that she didn't want a repeat of that morning, when he had rejected her advances, leaving her in a state of embarrassment. Whatever was going on between them, she was hoping it would resolve with time - and hopefully, when he returned things could be completely normal again. And by that, she was hoping against hope that they could build on what they already had, and one day even pick up where they left off.

The girl blushed at her own thoughts, oblivious to Kisame's misinterpretation of her earlier words.

The pair finished their tea rather hastily, and Sakura decided she should go.

"Well, I'll leave you to pack or whatever. Don't forget this," she said, picking up the case folder and waving it at him, before donning her coat and backpack.

They walked the few steps to the door, and she turned towards him. Briefly, her mind went to a dark place, as it struck her that this could be the last image of him she'll ever see - her tall, rogue, shark-man, with his damp hair roughly swept upwards, his lopsided grin - stupidly handsome in some strange way. Sakura shook the thought quickly from her mind, giving him a reassuring, awkward pat on the arm. She quickly withdrew, realizing that being platonic with this man was no longer possible.

"Hah, well I guess no use for a goodbye since I'll see you soon, right?" she said, hoping light-heartedness would help ease the twisting knot in her gut. In the far corners of her mind she absently wondered why evolution didn't equip people with better mechanisms to deal with goodbyes, because they were always so damn crippling.

Kisame seemed distant, and his unreadable expression was only helping further the nervous anxiety she felt. In a bout of boldness, Sakura just clicked her tongue and hugged him. He was stiff for longer than she had expected, and she just wanted to go. He responded after a few moments, forcing himself to return it, if only to reassure her that he was fine.

"Yeah, I'll be back soon," he said, abruptly pulling away from her.

"Okay," she said quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

He didn't want her to go, but opened the door anyway, watching as she stepped out into the night. It was more difficult than he thought - letting her leave him - but he realized that if he ever wanted a normal relationship with her, he would have to forget about the things which happened the night before.

"Bye Kisame," she said, fighting every instinct in her not to turn back around and give in to how she really felt.

"See ya," he said, equally conflicted, closing the door after her.

He leaned on it, listening to the sound of her sandals against the metal outside until they were no longer audible, unaware of the pair of eyes on the kunoichi who he was about to distance himself from.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys, first off I want to apologize for how long it takes me to update this fic, but given how long it's become, keeping track of certain plot details can become crazy, haha. I've mapped out the rest of the story now, so it should be easier to manage everything, but who knows in the end, lolz. Now that the pathetic self-pity is done with, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and don't hate me because I've done the bad thing and separated our lovely duo again. FYI, also I'm not up to speed with the Naruto manga, so I'm potentially going to deviate from whatever's going on with the war there, but I guess that's to be expected anyhow since this is AU after all.

A few things I wanted to mention, I know in canon, Amegakure does in fact have allies, but I wanted to portray a more outcasted state, because of their Akatsuki relations and the stigma it carries. I also hope you guys aren't too disappointed in the lack of KisaSaku sexy time because I'm sure people were expecting it. But just so you know, when it does happen, I will post that part on AFF probably, since I don't want Coercion to get deleted by report-happy haters :c Just a heads up! Otherwise, thank you so much for your continued support, and 'til next time my lovelies~


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